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1903    Jll^  «* 


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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


HOLDEN'S 


NEW 


BOOK  ON  BIRDS. 


BY 

GEORGE   H.   HOLDEN. 


Little  dewdrops  of  celestial  melody.  —  CARLYLE. 


KEEP  YOUR  BIRDS  IN  HEALTH. 

THE  FOOD,  CARE,  BREEDING,  DISEASES  AND  TREATMENT 
OF  HOUSE  BIRDS. 


\ds 


GEORGE    H.    HOLDEN,    PUBLISHER, 
240  SIXTH  AVENUE,  NEW  YORK. 

(Between  isth  and  i6th  S' reels.) 

ii  BOWDOIN  SQUARE,  BOSTON,  MASS. 


1903 


17 


30 


V7 


/ 


/h&y  22. 


y    / 


1Sl~LS     £?4 

fl  ' 

c?  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1900. 


n  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  "Congress  at  Washington 


THE  new  Canary  article  shows  all  the  latest  and 
/7    *># 

reeding 


pprpved  methods  of  feedings-care, 


its  worth  if  you  follow  its  highway  of  proper 
living  and  thus  permit  them  vocally  to  express  them- 
selves, *^ 

GEORGE   H.    HOLDEN0 


ANNOUNCEMENT. 


Mr.  George  H.  Holden  personally  manages 
the  New  York  establishment,  No.  240  Sixth 
Avenue,  near  15th  Street,  and  can  he  ad- 
dressed, or  seen,  there. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

PAGE. 

deface      .... 

3 

Canaries,  Bedtime  for 

29 

nnouncement  . 

4 

Temperature  for 

29 

5,  6 

"        Dust  Injures       .        . 

7O 

"        TheDon'ts 

ow 

3° 

dvice  to  Purchasers 

123 

"        Diseases      .        . 

31-39 

dams'  Express 

118 

"        Loss  of  Voice     . 

31 

nts'  Eggs 

92 

"        Asthma 

32 

ngora  Cats     . 

*35 

Diarrhoea    . 

32 

ustralian  Paroquet 
For  treatment  see  . 

84 
39 

Constipation 
Epilepsy,  or  Fits 

33 
33 

"        Cramps 

34 

"        The  Pip      . 

7  A 

ird  Cages 

125 

"        Surfeit 

3^ 

34 

lack  Bird 

66 

"       Yellow  Gall 

35 

ack  Cap 

57 

Sore  Feet    . 

35 

obolink  .... 
razilian  Cardinal     .         . 
reeding  Cages 

99 
88 
20 

Swollen  and  Red  Legs, 
"        Plumage  Poor     . 
Pie  Bad  for 

35 
36 
36 

ulfiiich     •         •         •         • 

CO 

*(        Lotig  Nails 

"       Long  Beak 

37 
37 

Iciiicirit's     •          •          • 

r*—  •»/•» 

"        Broken  Legs 

"        Harz  . 
"        Voices 

10 
II 

"        Puffed  Up  . 
1        Insects 

37 
37 
37 

St.  Andreasberg 

12 

Moult  .... 

3 

"        Campanini-Holden 

X3 

Mice  Admire 

39 

"        The  Brainy 

14 

Fishbone  for 

39 

"       The  English 

15 

'        Cures  for     . 

39 

"       The  Mule   . 
"        Piping         .        . 

16 
16 

'        Remedies  for      . 

39 

"       Breeding     . 
Breeding  Cages  for 
"       Mating,  Laying  . 

'7 

20 
22 

Finches  for  Aviary   .        .          i 
Avadavat        .... 
Cordon  Blue  .... 

06-113 
109 
in 

Nestling      . 

23 

Cut-throat      .... 

112 

"        Sweating  Females 

24 

Diamond        .... 

IIJ 

Second  Brood     . 

25 

Fire        

IIJ 

"       The  Young  Quairel 

2  ? 

Nuns      •        • 

"        Food  and  Care  . 
"       Proper  Seeds  for 

•               •*;> 
26 
27 

Orange  Cheeks 
Waxbills         . 

110 
112 

Bathe. 

28 

Zebra     

I  IO 

Hanging  Place   . 

28 

In  Draughts 
Height  to  Hang 

28 
29 

Insect  Powder  .... 
Insects  for  Soft-bill  Birds 

39 
93 

c 

0 

CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

PAG 

Java  Sparrow    . 

89 

Parrot,  Diseases       .        .        .81- 

"        Table  of  Talkers 

Lark,  Sky          ... 

60 

Parrot  Cage       .... 
"      Stand     .        .            * 

"      Wood      . 
Ladies'  Dress  . 
Linnet,  Gray    . 
"        Red     .        .        . 

62 
125 

44 

100 

Patience  in  Tramii  g 
Pocket  Monkey 
Postage  on  Seed        .        .        . 

"        Mules. 
Lice  on  Birds    .        .        • 
Loss  of  Voice    . 

45 
37 

Remedial  Agents       .        .        . 
Robin,  English           .         .         . 
"        Japanese       ... 

Meal-Worms,  how  bred    . 
Mocking-Bird   . 

93 
91 

Selecting  Birds  . 
Seed  for  Birds   .        .        . 

Food  . 

92 

"     Sicily  Canary   . 

Lice    . 
Monkey  for  Pocket  . 

94 

"     German  Rape  . 
"     Hemp       .... 

Cages. 

'.         136 

"     Millet       .        .           ;_  .       ? 

Nightingale 
Nonpareil 

53 

102 

"     Maw,  or  Poppy        .        . 
««     Paddy       .... 
"     Cracked  Corn  .        . 

"     Cracked  Wheat 

Poems 

Siskin        .         .        .        . 

Birds  of  Killingworth    . 
Black-Cap      . 
Blackbird       . 

49 
57 
66 

"  Smothering  "  Birds        .        .       :i 
Sparrow,  Java  .         .                 ,  ~ 

Goldfinch 

40 

Gray  Parrot  . 
Linnet  •        .                 • 

73 

Talking  Minor  .         .         •     .  .  « 
Taming  Hirds    .         •         •         • 

Nightingale   .        .        • 
Robin  Redbreast  . 

:    li 

Teaching  Birds  .        ..."  *       H 
Tobacco  Smoke         .        .        •'        I 

Song  of  Birds        .        • 
Tune  his  Merry  Note    . 

7 
59 

Trapping  Birds  .        .        .        .       ' 
Training  Birds  .         .         .        •       ''  • 

Thrush                    .        . 

64. 

Trap  Ca^e         •        •        •        . 

Parrot,  Gray     . 

73 

Truopial,  South  American        . 

Mexican 

79 

Thrush,  Song    .... 

"        Carthagena  .        . 

80 

Single  Yellow  Head 

80 

Virginia  Nightingale          .        . 

"        Amazon        .        . 

81 

"        Blue  Front  . 

81 

Wood-Lark        .        .        .        . 

Maracaibo    . 

81 

Wrapping  up  Birds   .        .        . 

"        Cuban 

81 

"       Food    .        .        . 

77 

Yellow-Birds      .        .        .        . 

M       Training      .        . 

.     74-76 

Your  Bird  Store        .        .       . 

THE   SONG  OF  BIRDS. 

BY  W.    W.   CALDWELL. 

WHEN  spring  returns  in  bud  and  flower, 

And  south  winds  breathe  o'er  hill  and  plain, 
And  winter's  cold  hath  lost  its  power ; 
Then  longings  come  to  hear  again 

From  field  and  grove  the  blackbird's  calls 
The  sparrow's  chirp,  and,  over  all, 
The  bobolink's  exultant  strain. 


When  summer  blushes  in  the  rose, 
And  woodland  odors  fill  the  air, 
And  all  the  grassy  wayside  glows 

With  golden  light  and  blossoms  fair ; 
In  welcome  shade  I  love  to  rest, 
While  near  me,  o'er  his  hidden  nest. 
The  linnet  trills,  and  lulls  my  care  : 


Or  wake  at  early  dawn,  when  now 
Faint  flushes  up  the  orient  play, 
And  hear  from  every  leafy  bough 
Glad  choirs  their  adoration  pay  ; 
Or,  when  the  twilight  purples  die, 
Thrill  to  the  robin's  plaintive  cry, 
His  farewell  to  departing  day. 
(7) 


THE    SONG   OF    BIRDS. 

And  still,  when  winter  spreads  around 

The  chilly  covering  of  the  snow, 
And  woods  in  dreary  silence  bound 
No  more  with  sounds  of  joy  o'erflow, 
Beside  my  hearth  I  sit,  and  hear 
The  same  sweet  music  ringing  clear,. 
And  summer-time  within  I  know. 

For  look !  where  at  the  window  swings 

Yon  blithe  canary,  full  of  glee  ; 
And  answers  to  my  call,  and  sings 
All  day  his  varied  melody, 
So  that  I  seem  to  hear  again 
The  skylark's  song  across  the  main, 
Or  nightingale  in  Thessaly. 

NEWBURYPORT,  Jan.  14,  1875. 


ST.    ANDREASBERG    CANARY, 


(THREE  QUARTERS  NATURAL  SIZE.) 


The  canaries  generally  kept  in  America  are  bred 
either  in  Germany  or  in  England.  The  Germans 
breed  birds  for  their  songs,  while  the  English  breed 
especially  for  high  colors  and  larger  sizes.  Most 
every  part  of  Germany  has  its  canary  breeding  dis- 
trict, but  the  larger  numbers  are  bred  by  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  villages  in  the  Harz  Mountains.  These 
birds  are  called  the  Harz  canaries.  They  are  about 
five  and  one  half  inches  long,  with  compact  bodies, 


10  THE   CANARY. 

well  proportioned,  and  in  color  varying  from  the  light 
mealy  to  the  clear  green;  some  have  crests.  Their 
singing  qualities  commend  them  to  the  world  at 
large ;  hence  the  strife  among  the  buyers  from 
Russia,  Europe,  and  America  to  obtain  the  best,  the 
selected  stock.  It  is  hardly  n,ecessary  to  say  that  we, 
in  America,  are  ready  to  pay  well  for  this  most 
delightful  merchandise,  and  in  this  case  money  not 
only  talks,  it  also  sings,  and  you  hear  the  songs  — 
sweeter  sounds  than  the  jingle  of  all  the  gold  Mother 
Earth  ever  bore  us. 

The  Harz  canary  has  a  mellow  voice  with  a  good 
variety  of  notes,  and  varying  from  the  medium  to 
the  louder  and  softer  songs.  That  is,  some  singers 
have  voices  of  medium  volume,  while  others  have 
louder  songs,  and  still  others  have  the  lower,  softer 
voices.  There  is  also  quite  a  difference  in  the  com- 
pass of  the  voices,  some  singing  higher  and  also 
lower  than  others,  and  some  voices  are  confined  to 
the  high  notes,  while  others  have  the  contralto 
register.  That  is,  a  canary  voice  may  be  a  tenor,  a 
soprano,  or  a  contralto ;  or  it  may  have  some  notes 
in  all  these  parts. 

The  original  canary,  the  forefather  of  all  canaries, 
wore  a  dull  yellowish-green  coll,  and  had  a  voice 
like  the  sparrow.  Man  caught  him,  recognized  the 
possibility  of  making  an  improvement  in  him,  and 
kept  right  at  the  cultivation  for  some  hundreds  of 
generations,  a  canary  generation  is  one  year,  and 
we  see  and  hear  the  charming  results. 

Being  familiar  with  the  demands  of  cultivated  bird 


THE    CANARY.  II 

lovers  here,  and  being  personally  acquainted  with  the 
largest  dealers  and  breeders  in  Germany,  it  is 
possible  to  show  those  breeders  what  qualities  of 
voice  are  most  sought  after  in  America.  The  best 
argument  so  far  used  is  gold;  but  I  have  had 
moments  when  a  rapid-fire  gun  seemed  necessary  to 
let  in  a  little  daylight  to  open  up  some  subject  whose 
brain  was  protected  with  that  more  than  steel-clad 
armor,  precedent. 

The  differences  in  the  voices,  explained  above, 
result  from  certain  methods  pursued  by  the  breeders. 
In  the  German  districts  each  breeder  tries  each  year 
to  obtain  certain  desirable  characteristics  in  the 
voices  of  his  birds,  and  in  a  few  years  some  thus  get 
a  reputation  for  breeding  such  special  birds.  There 
are  bird-shows  and  singing  matches  with  blue  ribbon 
and  other  attachments,  so  that  the  exact  results 
which  each  man  has  actually  obtained  are  known,  not 
alone  in  Germany,  but  in  one  of  the  best  markets, 
New  York ;  and  to  the  blue  ribbon  man  over  goes 
our  gold  to  buy  his  next  year's  raising,  months  before 
the  eggs  are  laid,  and  nearly  two  years  before  the 
voices  will  be  sold  by  me  in  New  York  or  Boston,  or 
perhaps  to  some  bird  lover  in  St.  Louis  or  San  Fran- 
cisco, whose  face  I  have  never  seen,  and  yet  am  well 
acquainted  with  him,  his  tastes,  and  daily  needs, 
through  the  mail  bag  and  telegraph  wires. 

So  I  am  not  only  "  counting  the  chickens  before 
the  eggs  are  hatched,"  but  I  buy  the  bird  a  year 
before  the  egg  is  laid  from  which  he  is  to  issue,  and 
often  sell  "  him  "  prior  to  his  existence,  guaranteeing 


12  THE    CANARY. 

that  his  voice  shall  be  of  a  certain  quality.  This 
might  be  called  "dealing  in  futures."  These  busi- 
ness methods  indicate  what  a  demand  there  is  for 
first-grade  song-canaries,  and  that  such  can  surely  be 
obtained  if  you  buy  at  the  right  place.  There  are 
many  here  in  America  who  have  kept  canaries  for 
years,  and  think  they  have  good  birds,  who  have  as 
yet  never  heard  a  first-grade  song  canary.  Many 
owners  actually  boast  of  their  fine  singers  which  they 
assure  me  "  can  be  heard  three  or  four  blocks  away." 
Spare  us,  good  Lord  ! 

THE  PROPER  SEEDS  for  the  Harz  canary  is  a  mix- 
ture of  fully  one  half  German  summer  rape  seed,  and 
the  rest  Sicily  canary  seed.  The  German  rape  is  the 
smallest  rape  seed  and  of  reddish  brown  color.  This 
is  a  sweet,  nutritious  seed,  and  if  any  German-bred 
canary  was  to  be  given  only  one  kind  of  seed  the 
rape  —  not  canary  —  would  be  the  one  kind.  These 
seeds  should  be  purchased  in  an  establishment  where 
birds  —  well-cared-for  birds  —  are  sold.  Millet  seed 
should  not  be  given  to  these  canaries.  It  injures  the 
song. 

THE  ST.  ANDREASBERG  CANARY,  bred  in  the  vicinity 
of  St.  Andreasberg,  in  the  Harz  Mountains,  Ger- 
many, is  a  grade  whose  song  has  a  greater  variety  of 
notes  than  the  regular  Harz  breed,  and  the  music  is 
softer  and  given  more  freely.  Much  more  care  is 
given  to  the  breeding  and  voice  culture  of  a  small 
number  of  birds,  so  the  variety  of  notes  is  greater, 
the  song  has  wider  range,  and  often  with  a  well- 
trained  bird  continues  through  the  moulting  season. 


THE    CANARY.  13 

I  have  met  many  people  who  exclaimed  with  vehe- 
mence that  they  "  could  not  bear  a  canary,  his  song 
was  so  loud  and  sharp,"  and,  after  hearing  one  of  the 
St.  Andreasbergs,  say,  "  Oh  !  I  didn't  know  a  canary 
could  sing  like  that ;  I  should  be  delighted  with  a 
bird  having  such  a  mellow,  rich  voice."  To  me  it  is 
a  great  surprise  to  meet  each  day  so  many  who  keep 
birds  and  yet  never  owned  or  even  heard  a  first  grade 
singer,  and  do  not  know  there  is  any  canary  other 
than  some  ordinary  screecher. 

The  St.  Andreasberg  canary  usually  sings  in  the 
evening,  but  if  you  wish  him  to  work  evenings  he 
ought  to  have  his  cage  covered  and  be  put  in  a 
darkish  place  two  or  three  hours  in  the  afternoon. 
It  ruins  any  voice  to  work  it  all  the  time.  These 
and  the  Campanini-Holden  canary  are  the  smallest 
of  all  canaries,  being  from  four  and  a  half  to  five 
inches  long.  The  colors  are  usually  a  light,  mealy 
yellow  or  yellow  and  green.  There  is  sometimes  a 
crested  specimen. 

THE  CAMPANINI-HOLDEN  canary  is  bred  in  St. 
Andreasberg  and  some  other  villages  of  the  Harz  by 
a  class  of  men  better  fitted  by  education  to  accept 
suggestions,  especially  if  the  suggestions  are  based 
on  "  more  gold."  So  I  have  been  saying  to  them, 
year  after  year,  "  The  better  the  song  the  heavier  the 
gold.  There 's  no  limit  to  the  gold  and  I  hope  there 
will  be  none  to  the  song."  For  this  reason  the  most 
intelligent  breeders  discard  the  poorer  voices,  and 
then  train  the  better  ones'  with  this  master-canary  or 
with  the  European  nightingale.  Thus,  their  birds 


14  THE    CANARY. 

have  no  sharp  or  harsh  notes,  but  a  long,  limpid  song 
with  combinations  of  soft  shakes,  bells,  flutes,  and 
trills  which  would  lull  a  hearer,  whose  nerves  were  at 
a  tension  with  business  or  professional  cares  and  per- 
plexities, to  quiet  moods  and  to  sleep.  While  these 
are  the  most  expensive  canary  in  regard  to  "  first 
cost,"  if  one  recalls  that  the  bird  sings  probably  five 
times  as  much  each  day  as  any  other  canary,  and  also 
that  he  generally  sings  right  through  the  moulting 
season,  and  that  his  song  is  really  a  grand  production, 
it  will  be  understood  that  an  owner  really  gets  more 
for  his  money  than  in  buying  any  other  breed.  So 
the  old  statement  holds  good,  "  The  best  is  the  cheap- 
est." Because  this  bird  is  so  carefully  bred,  year  after 
year,  generation  after  generation,  from  the  best  strains 
of  blood,  and  passes  through  a  vocal  training  extend- 
ing over  several  months,  he  becomes  the  "  brainy  " 
canary,  —  intelligent,  observing,  teachable,  and,  in 
many  cases,  very  tame.  He  distinguishes  different 
members  of  the  family,  is  usually  fond  of  the  children, 
especially  if  they  are  tow-headed,  and  selects  some 
one  favorite  for  whom  he  will  phrase  his  most  en- 
chanting song  at  any  time  when  the  favored  one 
learns  how  to  give  him  some  desired  cue.  Some  of 
these  birds  sing  regular  scale  songs  and  have  a  range 
of  nearly  three  octaves. 

GERMAN  SUMMER  RAPE  is  his  usual  regular  seed, 
and  every  other  day  a  thimbleful  of  both  parts  of  a 
hard-boiled  egg.  Twice  a  week  he  may  have  a  little 
apple,  and  a  bath  as  often.  "  If  kept  ten  feet  from  a 
window,  in  a  two  thirds  light,  he  will  sing  more  and 


THE    CANARY.  15 

better  than  in  a  light  place.  Strong  light  makes  any 
bird  sing  louder  and  more  shrill,  and  so  ruins  the 
voice  of  a  soft,  sweet  singer.  Strong  light  also  makes 
a  canary  restless,  and  should  be  avoided. 

THE  ENGLISH  CANARIES  find  great  favor  with  those 
who  admire  large,  high-color  birds.  Their  singing  is 
louder  than  that  of  the  German  birds,  but  they  have 
many  odd,  wild-bird  notes. 

THE  MANCHESTERS,  being  both  long  and  thick,  are 
the  largest  canary.  Some  have  plain  heads ;  others 
have  thick,  full  crests  falling  over  the  eyes.  There 
are  yellow  birds  with  green  crests  and  wings.  The 
all-green  with  heavy,  green  crests  are  especially 
handsome. 

THE  NORWICH  CANARY,  not  so  large,  but  with 
higher  colors,  deep  gold,  both  clear  and  mottled,  and 
also  the  odd  filbert  or  cinnamon  colors,  are  all  in  de- 
mand. From  these,  strong,  beautiful  birds  may  be 
bred. 

THE  RED  CANARY  is  obtained  by  breeding  from  the 
gold  or  gold  and  green  colors,  and  when  the  young 
are  about  eight  weeks  old  and  begin  to  shed  their 
body  feathers,  feeding  the  cayenne  pepper  in  sufficient 
quantity  to  color  the  plumage  a  cayenne  shade.  Some 
of  the  imported  birds  are  a  clear  cayenne  color, 
others  have  dark  green  crests,  or  green  on  wings  or 
body. 

THE  RED  FOOD  is  now  prepared  and  sold  here, 
ready  to  be  mixed  with  egg,  for  food  for  coloring  the 
young  birds. 

GOLD-SPANGLED  LIZARD  CANARIES,  also  bred  origi- 


i6  THE    CANARY. 

nally  in  England,  have  bright,  gold-capped  heads, 
and  continuous  lines  of  spangles,  from  the  neck  down 
the  back.  Each  spangle  is  decided;  its  clear  gold 
edging  and  olive-green  centre,  distinct  and  regular, 
mark  the  several  rows  of  spangles  with  great  beauty, 
The  silver- spangled  are  marked  exactly  like  the  gold, 
but  have  silver-colored  spangles  where  the  others 
have  gold. 

All  these  English  canaries  eat  two  thirds  canary 
seed  and  one  third  rape ;  but  are  otherwise  cared  for 
like  the  German  varieties. 

THE  GOLDFINCH-CANARY  MULE,  bred  in  England, 
is  a  beautiful  specimen,  when  he  is  from  half  to  four 
fifths  snow-white,  with  ruddy  face  like  his  father,  and 
golden  wings  from  the  same  source.  Such  a  hand- 
some mule,  when  he  also  has  a  good  song  of  the  com- 
bined goldfinch- canary  notes,  is  very  enjoyable.  He  is 
a  free  singer,  with  just  enough  of  the  goldfinch  traits 
to  be  pert,  merry,  and  gay.  This  mule  is  obtained  by 
breeding  a  male  goldfinch  to  a  light,  clear  yellow 
hen  which  has  descended  from  several  generations  of 
light,  clear  yellow  hens.  It  is  said  to  be  the  fact 
that  only  from  such  a  pure-bred  hen  is  one  likely  to 
rear  the  greatly-sought-for  light-color  mules.  It  is 
well  to  raise  one  brood  of  canaries  first  from  the  hen, 
and  then  mate  her  with  a  tame  goldfinch  in  full 
song  about  the  last  of  April. 

OTHER  MULES.  —  The  female  canary  will  mate  with 
linnet,  bulfinch,  siskin,  and  other  finches. 

PIPING  CANARIES  are  taught  to  pipe  or  whistle  a 
tune  just  as  a  bulfinch  is,  either  by  an  organ,  or  by 


THE    CANARY.  I*J 

having  the  song  whistled  by  the  trainer.  The  bird's 
education  should  begin  when  he  is  six  or  eight  weeks 
old,  or  as  soon  as  'you  can  be  certain,  by  his  warbling, 
that  he  is  a  male,  and  lessons  given  him  for  an  hour 
at  a  time,  —  morning,  noon,  and  before  sunset.  He 
must  not  hear  other  canaries,  for  if  he  does  he  will 
forget  his  acquired  song  and  sing  his  natural  song. 
After  he  has  thoroughly  mastered  the  song  you  are 
teaching,  it  should  be  whistled  to-  him,  or  played  on 
the  organ,  whenever  it  seems  necessary  to  refresh  his 
memory,  especially  in  moulting  time.  Piping  cana- 
ries are  imported  to  order,  from  January  to  April, 
when  not  already  in  stock. 

LENGTH  OF  LIFE.  —  Any  canary,  properly  bred  and 
properly  fed  and  cared  for,  should  live  from  eight  to 
fifteen  years,  and  there  are  many  instances  where 
they  have  lived  over  twenty  years. 

Two  SONS  OF  ERIN  bought  a  canary,  and,  after  it 
was  paid  for,  one  said  to  me,  "  I  suppose  it  will  die 
on  me,  now  " ;  and  before  I  could  reply,  his  friend 
answered,  "  Av  course  it  will,  ye  dom  fool,  if  it  lives 
long  enough." 

BREEDING  BIRDS.  —  To  breed  and  rear  canaries  is 
very  easy  if  you  have  good,  strong  stock,  and  are  will- 
ing to  put  them  together,  and  not  inquisitively  disturb 
them.  The  birds  you  wish  to  mate  should  not  be 
related  to  each  other  and  should  be  placed  near  each 
other,  the  female  in  the  breeding  cage,  and  the  male 
in  his  own  cage,  and  permitted  to  thus  become  ac- 
quainted before  occupying  the  same  apartments.  Some 
extra  nourishing  food,  either  hard  boiled  egg,  both 


1 8  THE    CANARY. 

yolk  and  white  grated  together,  or  the  ground  food 
called  Holden's  Song  Restorer,  should  be  given  every 
day  for  at  least  a  week  before  you  put  the  birds 
together.  Apple  should  be  given  as  required,  daily, 
or  every  other  day.  These  foods,  with  the  canary  and 
rape  seeds  and  an  abundance  of  gravel,  will  get  the  pair 
into  condition,  so  in  a  few  days  they  will  be  anxious 
to  mate ;  and  the  male  can  then  be  put  in  the  breed- 
ing cage  with  every  probability  that  he  will  love  and 
be  loved,  and,  later,  many  fledglings  will  flutter  their 
approval . 

CANARIES  WILL  MATE,  have  the  mating  fever,  any 
time  from  early  January  on,  until  nearly  June,  and 
will  breed,  when  once  mated,  until  September.  It 
is  better  to  mate  birds  during  the  colder  months  of 
January,  February,  March,  and  April,  as  birds  hatched 
then  are  stronger,  grow  better,  and  have  sweeter 
qualities  of  voice. 

AGE  OF  PAIRS.  —  The  male  should  not  be  over  four 
years  old,  and  the  better  age  is  one  or  two  years. 
The  female  may  be  from  one  to  four  years.  Some 
breeders  think  if  the  female  is  a  year  or  more  older 
than  the  male  there  will  be  a  greater  proportion  of 
males  among  the  young  birds  because  the  younger  male 
will  naturally  be  more  vigorous  than  the  older  female. 

COLOR  BREEDING.  —  A  yellow  male  and  a  light  color 
female  produce  usually  handsome  yellow  birds.  A 
gold  color  pair  will  produce  same  color.  A  golden 
male  and  deep  green  female  often  produce  the  filbert 
or  cinnamon  colors.  Solid  green  pairs  usually  pro- 
duce solid  greens  ;  but  in  some  cases,  unless  the  same 


THE    CANARY.  19 

colors  have  been  bred  for  several  generations,  the 
young  birds  may  show  colors  unlike  the  parents  but 
like  the  grand  or  great-grand  parents.  The  highest 
colors  are  found  in  the  Norwich,  England,  stock. 

SONG,  COLOR,  SIZE.  —  In  breeding,  size  and  color 
may  often  be  had,  but  best  song  is  seldom  or  never 
found  with  the  larger  birds  or  fancy  colors.  Birds  of 
high  color  or  great  size  usually  have  strong,  heavy 
voices,  and  not  the  longest  songs. 

SONG  BREEDING.  —  We  are  still  compelled  to  go  to 
Germany  for  the  best  song  canary.  To  breed  best 
singers,  have  both  male  and  female  of  the  finest 
grade  of  the  St.  Andreasberg  canary.  This  grade  I 
called  in  other  editions  the  Campanini,  and  now  call 
it  the  Holden  canary.  He  is  the  smallest  canary, 
with  mealy  yellow,  or  mottled,  or  green  colors,  and 
sometimes  has  a  crest.  In  size  and  color  he  is 
inferior  to  the  big  and  brilliant  color  canaries,  but  he 
can  give  you  a  wealth  of  soft,  varied,  charming  music 
in  a  single  song.  Mate  him  with  a  wife  of  his  own 
class,  let  the  progeny  hear  only  him  or  one  of  his 
kind,  and  you  may  justly  be  proud  of  some  choice 
songsters. 

SIZE  BREEDING.  —  For  largest  canaries  breed  the 
famous  Manchesters  or  Lancashires  from  England. 
There  are  both  plain  heads  and  crests,  mammoth 
crests  that  conceal  the  eyes.  They  are  most  showy 
birds,  with  full  voices.  Some  -of  the  Norwich  birds 
are  quite  large,  and  their  deep  gold,  or  gold  and 
green  colors  make  them  sought  after  by  breeders 
desiring  "fancy  "  stock. 


20  THE    CANARY. 

BREEDING  CAGES  may  be  made  of  brass  or  of  wood, 
but  the  former  keeps  freer  from  insects,  and,  with 
nest  removed,  may  be  used  for  a  singer  through  the 
year.  For  a  single  pair,  the  cage  should  be  not  less 
than  8  x  10  inches,  and  9  x  12,  or  10  x  16  or  18  is 
better.  The  larger  cage  gives  the  pair  more  exercise, 
so  the  progeny  are  stronger,  and  also  gives  the  young 
birds  better  flights.  The  wood  frame  and  tinned 
wire  cages  with  solid  wood  backs,  and  wood  platform 
for  nest  are  very  convenient  to  hang  or  set  against 
the  wall.  The  largest  and  most  convenient  wooden 
cage  has  a  removable  partition. 

These  cages,  as  made  especially  for  the  writer, 
have  deep  zinc  drawers  and  large  cups,  which  are 
held  by  the  glass  buttons  of  the  cups  to  the  front  of 
the  cage,  either  side  of  the  main  door.  There  is  also 
a  second  door  in  all  except  the  smallest  cage,  at  one 
end  near  the  nest.  The  nests  are  wire,  and  lined 
with  cotton-wool  flannel.  Deer's  hair  or  tow  is  fur- 
nished the  pair  so  they  may  arrange  the  interior  of 
the  nest  to  suit  their  own  tastes. 

SOFT-SHELL  EGGS.  —  Gravel  should  be  strewn  in 
abundance  in  the  drawer,  and  a  bit  of  old  plastering 
from  an  old  building  should  be  partially  crushed  and 
given  in  small  quantities  daily.  Crushed  oyster  shell 
may  be  substituted.  Birds  thus  provided  for  seldom 
lay  soft-shell  eggs. 

THE  DAILY  FOOD  should  be  equal  parts  of  German 
summer  rape  and  Sicily  canary  seeds,  well  mixed, 
and,  for  one  pair  of  birds,  one  third  of  both  parts  of 
a  hard-boiled  egg,  grated  on  a  coarse  grater,  with 


THE    CANARY.  21 

which  mix  a  thimbleful  of  powdered  cracker;  mix 
with  the  egg  a  very  little  maw  or  poppy  seed  every 
other  day,  or  as  often  as  is  needed  to  keep  the 
bowels  open.  Give  apple  every  other  day.  In  place 
of  the  egg,  Holden's  Song  Restorer,  a  ground  food 
all  ready  for  use,  and  most  nourishing,  is  now  often 
given  during  the  mating;  it  is  given  just  as  in  the 
bottle,  or  moistened  with  water,  as  seems  better. 

DISTURBANCES. — After  the  birds  have  been  cared 
for,  and  had  their  bath  twice  a  week  if  they  wish, 
unless  some  ailment  requires  attention  leave  them  to 
their  own  pleasures.  Too  close  attention  and  fre- 
quent taking  down  of  the  cage,  to  show  the  pair  to 
callers,  have  separated  many  mates,  and  ruined  pros- 
pects that  gave  promise  of  a  large  and  beautiful 
family. 

QUARRELS  sometimes  occur  when  the  pair  are  first 
put  together,  and  if  hard  and  continued,  the  male 
should  be  put  back  in  his  own  cage  again  for  a  day  or 
two  and  then  they  may  try  again.  Usually  the  dis- 
agreement is  brief,  the  male  coaxes,  with  dainty 
morsels  of  food,  feeds  and  kisses  freely,  and  the  life- 
work  begins  at  once. 

THE  FEMALE  should  be  changed  when  disputes 
cannot  be  settled. 

SOME  PAIRS  ARE  DELIBERATE,  and  seem  to  waste 
two  or  three  weeks  of  time,  building  the  nest  in  the 
morning  only  to  tear  it  to  pieces  in  the  afternoon, 
with  an  occasional  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  female 
to  sit  some  of  the  time.  The  pair  has  not  yet  really 
mated,  one  or  the  other  not  being  "in  condition." 


22  THE   CANARY. 

Give  more  fresh  egg  in  the  early  afternoon,  for 
where  there  are  no  quarrels  there  will  in  almost  every 
case  be  a  perfect  mating  and,  later,  eggs. 

THE  FIRST  EGG  is  laid  on  the  eighth  day  after 
mating,  and  one  egg  is  laid  each  day  until  the  laying 
of  from  four  to  seven  eggs  is  complete. 

EGG-BOUND.  —  Females  fed  with  apple  and  the 
maw  seed  are  seldom  egg-bound.  Sometimes  when 
the  female  is  expected  to  lay  she  will  seek  a  corner 
of  the  cage,  panting,  and  squat  on  the  floor  with  wings 
outstretched,  feathers  ruffled,  head  thrown  back,  eyes 
closed,  and  apparently  prostrated.  Put  some  hot 
wa'er  in  a  bottle  and  expose  her  vent  to  the  rising 
steam,  and  afterward  put  two  or  three  drops  of  sweet 
oil  on  the  vent.  Gently  replace  her  in  the  nest  and 
the  egg  will  soon  be  laid,  if  it  be  not  dropped  when 
the  oil  is  applied.  If  an  egg  is  broken  inside  of  a 
bird,  it  kills  the  bird. 

EATING  THE  EGGS  as  soon  as  laid  is  usually  done 
because  the  pair  has  not  been  fed  richly  enough. 
Mated  birds  require  rich  food,  egg  paste,  and  Song 
Restorer,  and  these  should  be  given  daily  for  a  week 
or  two  weeks  before  the  pair  is  put  together;  and 
continued  until  you  are  through  breeding  and  the 
youngest  birds  eat  the  seeds. 

EGGS  MAY  BE  REMOVED  with  a  spoon  each  day 
when  laid,  or  left  in  the  nest.  They  should  be  re- 
moved when  either  bird  inclines  to  throw  them  out 
or  destroy  them.  If  removed  they  should  be  re- 
turned to  the  nest  on  the  afternoon  of  the  day  the 
third  one  is  laid  ;  the  female  then  goes  to  the  nest  at 


THE    CANARY.  23 

night,  lays  her  fourth  egg  in  the  morning,  and  gen- 
erally commences  to  sit  so  closely  that  the  date  of 
hatching  may  be  reckoned  from  the  fourth  morning. 

SHE  WILL  SIT  THIRTEEN  days  and  hatch,  punctually 
to  the  hour,  one  egg  each  day.  But  if  the  eggs 
should  not  hatch  as  expected,  let  the  bird  remain 
undisturbed  three  or  four  days,  then  remove  the  eggs 
and  nest,  and  in  a  few  days  give  a  new  nest. 

THE  MALE  bird  should  remain  with  the  sitting 
female  if  he  behaves  well ;  but  if  he  shows  a  dispo- 
sition to  disturb  too  much,  or  drive  the  female  from 
the  nest,  he  may  be  put  in  his  own  apartment.  Usu- 
ally he  sits  on  the  eggs  when  she  gets  off,  or  else  feeds 
her.  The  pair  may  bathe  twice  a  week. 

THE  NESTLINGS  are  fed  by  the  old  birds  with  the 
egg  and  cracker  paste  which  should  be  given  fresh 
two  or  three  times  a  day.  In  some  cases  where  the 
old  birds  are  very  good  parents  and  feed  the  young, 
as  they  should,  a  second  nest  is  put  in  the  same  cage 
with  the  young  birds,  and  the  second  laying  goes  on 
while  the  father  bird  feeds  the  young  until  they  can 
eat  for  themselves.  But  if  the  male  gets  quarrelsome, 
or  the  pair  in  getting  too  anxious  to  mate  more  thus 
neglect  the  young,  it  is  well  to  separate  them,  putting 
the  male  in  his  own  cage  until  the  young  birds  can 
eat  for  themselves  and  fly  on  to  the  perch.  They 
may  then  be  removed  and  the  male  returned  to  his 
mate,  and  another  brood  raised. 

BOTH  PARENTS  DESERT  the  young  birds  or  feed 
them  too  little  sometimes.  In  such  an  event  a  bachelor 
uncle  or  a  maiden  aunt  will  sometimes  adopt  the 


24  THE   CANARY. 

brood  and  give  it  the  best  attention  and  care.  If 
you  wish  to  raise  the  brood  by  hand,  cut  a  hard 
boiled  egg  in  halves,  and  after  moistening  the  yolk 
with  saliva  scrape  up  some  of  the  egg,  with  a  flat 
quill  or  sliver  of  wood,  making  it  very  moist,  and 
feed  each  hungry  bird.  With  young  birds,  if  in 
place  of  full  crops,  plump  breasts,  and  heavy  abdo- 
men, you  find  every  feature  dwarfed,  it  is  time  to 
commence  artificial  feeding  as  above;  the  egg 
trough  should  be  filled  anew  two  or  three  times 
a  day,  and  apple,  chick-weed,  or  lettuce  given  fresh 
frequently.  Fresh  food  often  induces  the  mother 
to  feed  the  young  when  she  might  otherwise  neglect 
them. 

SWEATING  FEMALES  often  mat  the  plumage  of  young 
birds,  four  or  five  days  old,  by  sitting  too  closely.  Wash 
the  female  lightly  in  salted  warm  water,  and  afterwards 
in  fresh  warm  water,  drying  her  as  rapidly  as  possible 
and  gently,  with  a  hot,  soft  cloth.  Then  sprinkle  a 
slight  spray  of  sherry  wine  on  her  plumage.  If  the 
male  can  be  put  in  an  adjoining  compartment  where 
he  can  feed  the  female  through  the  wires  he  will  in- 
cessantly call  her  to  come-  and  feed,  and,  accepting 
these  invitations,  she  will  get  right  again. 

KEEP  THE  YOUNG  birds  confined  to  the  nest  until 
they  are  three  weeks  old,  if  possible,  by  which  time 
they  can  use  the  perch.  If,  now,  the  female  inclines 
to  pull  the  feathers,  the  young  may  be  put  in  the  cage 
with  the  father  bird,  and  he  will  feed  them  as  long  as 
it  is  necessary.  The  young  can  crack  and  eat  the 
soaked  rape  seed  when  they  are  six  weeks  old. 


THE    CANARY.  2$ 

A  SECOND  BROOD  may  now  be  started  by  putting 
the  male  in  with  his  mate  for  a  short  time,  night  and 
morning,  so  that  he  will  fertilize  the  eggs ;  when  the 
third  egg  has  been  laid  he  can  be  removed  altogether 
and  put  in  charge  of  the  young  birds. 

MIXED  FAMILIES.  —  Young  birds  of  the  same  age 
may  be  kept  together  quite  a  long  time ;  but  when 
birds  of  different  ages  are  kept  in  one  cage,  the  older 
birds  often  pick  the  feathers  from  the  younger  and 
seriously  injure  them.  If  young  birds  eat  one  tenth 
part  canary  seed  with  nine  tenths  rape,  when  ten  or 
twelve  weeks  old,  their  growth  and  progress  in  war- 
bling will  be  more  rapid. 

WHEN  YOUNG  BIRDS  QUARREL  they  should  be  sep- 
arated ;  and  while  the  males  naturally  sing  some  they 
do  not  inherit  the  best  song  any  more  than  a  child 
does.  If  you  wish  the  birds  to  sing  well  they  must 
be  taught  by  a  good  singer.  The  father  bird  cannot 
devote  himself  to  raising  a  second  brood  and  give  the 
first  brood  the  best  instruction.  The  instructor  may 
be  a  choice  canary,  a  Virginia  nightingale,  or  a  Euro- 
pean nightingale,  the  Virginia  bird  being  less  desirable 
than  either  of  the  others, 

YOUNG  BIRDS  MOULT  their  body  feathers  only  the 
first  year,  the  moulting  commencing  when  they  get 
into  full  feather  at  the  age  of  six  to  eight  weeks. 
The  larger  feathers,  the  wing  and  tail  feathers,  are 
not  shed  until  the  second  season  when  the  bird  is 
about  a  year  old. 

YOUNG  MALES  swell  out  their  throats  in  attempts  to 
warble  when  about  eight  weeks  old,  and  with  increas- 


26  THE    CANARY. 

ing  age  try  to  sing  more .     By  this  action  the  sex  may 
be  determined. 

FOOD,  CARE,  DISEASES,  AND  TREATMENT.  —  The 
demand  of  bird  owners  is  for  the  most  practical  and 
condensed  article  which  can  be  written  on  the 
proper  care  of  the  canary.  I  am  primarily  a  business 
man  owning  and  selling  many  thousands  of  birds 
annually,  and  to  make  such  a  live-stock  business 
profitable  I  have  been  compelled  to  study  closely  for 
twenty  years  everything  in  bird  foods,  and  whatever 
pertains  to  the  healthfulness  and  song-yielding  quali- 
ties of  my  goods.  But  more  than  this  :  many  good 
birds  are  owned  by  those  who  through  want  of  knowl- 
edge or  through  mistaken  kindness  injure  the  bird 
or  his  singing  qualities,  and  these  patients  have  been 
brought  to  me  for  treatment,  and,  in  some  cases,  as  it 
seemed  to  me,  for  resurrection.  My  hospital  practice 
covers  the  widest  range  of  diseases  and  accident 
cases,  so  that  some  days  I  regret  I  am  not  a  specialist. 
I  would  confine  my  study  to  appendicitis,  which  birds 
cannot  have.  I  am  popularly  supposed  to  be  able 
to  restore  the  sight ;  to  recall  to  its  place  again  the 
bird's  lost  "mind  " ;  to  cure  the  consumptive,  and  to 
attach  to  a  suffering  victim,  so  the  jointure  cannot 
be  discovered,  a  canary  leg  which  has  been  rescued 
from  the  cat.  Intending  to  enter  a  profession  I  went 
to  Yale  and  in  the  Academic  Department  laid  the 
foundation  for  this  most  delightful  elective,  "Birds"; 
but  this  study  presents  some  problems  apparently  not 
solvable.  The  worst  one  is,  "  How  to  make  your 
canarv  live  twenty  years  and  sing  every  day,  regardless 


THE    CANARY.  2 7 

of  the  sorts  of  diet  and  '  care  '  which  you  give  him." 
To  those  who  know  me  I  do  not  need  to  explain  the 
above  statements,  but  I  make  them  so  that  those 
whom  I  do  not  personally  know  may  understand  that 
whatever  courses  of  food  and  treatment  are  proposed 
in  the  following  pages  are  the  results  of  careful  tests 
and  close  analyses,  and  have  been  used,  not  in  a  few 
isolated  cases,  but  with  many  subjects  through  many 
years. 

FOOD  FOR  A  SINGING  CANARY  is  as  follows :  for 
food  give  only  German  summer  rape  seed,  —  it  is  the 
smaller  rape,  reddish  brown,  not  the  large  black  rape, 
—  and  Sicily  canary  seed,  large,  bright,  free  from 
dust,  mixed,  equal  parts,  and  purchased,  not  at  the 
nearest  grocery,  drug,  or  fancy  goods  store,  as  there 
is  as  great  difference  in  the  quality  of  bird  seed  as 
in  teas  and  coffees,  but  at  a  bird  store.  Give  only 
a  small  quantity,  a  large  teaspoonful  if  the  bird  can 
reach  it  all,  so  he  will  be  compelled  to  eat  the  rape. 
If  a  bird  eats  too  much  canary  it  is  very  bad  for 
him,  and  generally  soon  ruins  his  song.  If  a  canary 
selects  all  the  canary  and  does  not  eat  the  rape,  that  is 
the  time  to  give  less  canary  and  four-fifths  rape,  or  else 
all  rape.  Keep  gravel  paper,  or  washed,  silver,  loose 
gravel  on  thick  paper,  in  the  cage ;  the  paper  keeps 
the  bird's  feet  from  the  metal.  A  cuttle-bone  should 
always  hang  in  the  cage.  One  tenth  of  both  white 
and  yolk  of  a  hard-boiled  egg,  grated,  should  be  given 
twice  a  week,  and,  in  moulting  season,  every  day;  a 
piece  of  apple,  the  size  of  a  thimble,  sweet  if  it  can  be 
had,  two  or  three  times  a  week ;  apple  is  better  than 


28  THE   CANARY. 

lettuce,  celery,  or  any  other  green  stuff.  All  canaries 
should  be  fed  the  year  through  as  above,  except  that 
the  finest  grades  of  St.  Andreasberg  canaries  and  our 
own  bred  Holden  canary  and  our  own  bred  Carnpanini 
canary  should  have  one  tenth  to  one  fifth  Sicily 
canary  seed,  and  the  rest  German  summer  rape  seed. 
A  canary  may  have  two  or  three  hemp  seeds  from 
fingers  or  lips  once  or  twice  a  week,  to  encourage 
tameness. 

THE  BATH.  —  A  canary  should  bathe  all  through 
the  year,  two  or  three  times  a  week,  not  every  day. 
Remove  seed  and  water  cups  and  the  base  of  cage, 
and  set  body  of  cage  over  the  bathing  dish  of  tepid 
water,  and  then  remove  the  perches.  Use  the  regu- 
lar canary  bath-tub,  with  three  quarters  of  an  inch 
depth  of  water.  If  the  bird  will  not  bathe  in  the  tub, 
try  less  water,  and  perhaps  a  dozen  shapes  and  sizes 
of  dishes,  until  you  find  the  only  one  he  will  use ; 
sometimes  this  is  an  old  flat  saucer,  or  your  choice 
bit  of  Royal  Worcester  or  Doulton,  with  a  quarter  of 
an  inch  depth  of  water. 

THE  HANGING  PLACE.  —  The  bird  may  hang  in 
the  sunshine  fifteen  minutes,  not  longer,  to  dry  his 
feathers  after  the  bath ;  but  a  bird  hanging  in  the 
sunshine  at  midday  is  in  a  bad  place  for  his  health  or 
song.  Nearly  all  birds  keep  in  better  health  if  not 
hung  near  a  window.  I  have  seen  many  so-called 
air-tight  windows,  but  I  never  saw  an  air-tight  win- 
dow fit  to  hang  a  bird  near  in  cold  weather. 

DRAUGHT  OF  AIR.  —  Do  not  leave  a  bird  in  a  room 
in  cold  weather  where  the  window  is  open  to  air  the 
room. 


THE    CANARY.  2Q 

THE  BEST  HEIGHT  to  place  a  canary  is  from  three 
to  five  and  a  half  feet  from  the  floor,  and  in  a  not 
too  light  place,  if  you  wish  soft,  sweet  songs.  Close 
to  a  window,  or  in  other  too  strong  light,  the  bird 
jumps  about  too  much,  and  his  song  gets  loud  and 
shrill.  The  finest  grades  of  canaries  sing  best  in  even 
a  half  light. 

BED  TIME.  —  About  dusk  the  bird  should  be  put 
to  bed,  just  as  most  wild  birds  seek  secluding  shade 
and  cover  at  that  time.  Your  canary,  to  keep  health 
good,  voice  sweet,  and  life  prolonged,  should  have 
one  thickness  of  paper  about  his  cage  in  summer, 
and  in  winter,  in  our  northern  latitudes,  three  thick- 
nesses about  the  cage  and  same  amount  thrown  over 
the  top  to  lap  over  that  which  stands  edgewise 
around  the  cage.  The  paper  should  fit  close  to  the 
base  of  the  cage,  all  around,  and  stand  up  almost 
even  with  the  ring  the  cage  is  hung  by,  thus  prevent- 
ing all  draughts  through  the  cage.  A  shawl  or  towel 
arranged  partly  around  a  cage  and  left  open  near  the 
bottom  causes  a  draught  through  the  cage  and  about 
the  bird,  and  is  worse  than  no  covering.  When  prop- 
erly covered  the  cage  should  be  put  in  a  dark  place ; 
but  do  not  remove  the  bird  from  a  comfortable  to  a 
real  cold  place. 

THE  TEMPERATURE.  —  Sudden  changes  of  temper- 
ature are  bad  for  the  voice  and  health.  Sixty-five  to 
seventy  degrees  is  right. 

CAREFUL  HANDLING.  —  In  moving  the  cage  with  a 
bird  from  one  position  to  another,  do  it  with  moder- 
ation, not  hastily. 


30  THE    CANARY. 

SWEEPING  AND  DUSTING.  —  Birds  should  never  be 
in  a  room  where  particles  of  dust  fill  the  air.  Dust 
injures  the  voice.  Remove  the  bird,  or  sprinkle  the 
floor  with  water  before  sweeping. 

EASY  TO  CARE  FOR  AND  KEEP  IN  SONG. — The  ca- 
nary is  easily  kept  in  song  all  through  the  year,  in 
most  cases  right  through  the  moulting  period,  if  the 
seeds  and  care  are  right,  and  one  refrains  from  doing 
foolish  things  ruinous  to  the  bird's  voice 

THE  DON'TS.  —  Don't  "  take  chances  "  buying  a 
cheap  bird.  There  is  no  "  chance  "  about  it ;  you 
lose  every  time. 

Don't  buy  poor  seeds  or  gravel;  they  cost  you 
more  in  loss  of  song  or  loss  of  bird  than  three  times 
the  price  of  the  best  seeds.  Buy  bird  seeds  at  a  bird 
store. 

Don't  hang  the  bird  in  the  window. 

Don't  hang  the  bird  in  the  sunshine  except  for  a 
few  minutes  immediately  after  his  bath. 

Don't  hang  the  birds  where  there  are  draughts,  or 
in  kitchen  or  laundry  where  there  is  steam  or  damp 
air. 

Don't  give  figs,  or  sugar,  or  candy. 

Don't  put  the  bird  in  water  because  he  will  not 
bathe  ;  it  is  cruel  and  generally  has  fatal  results. 

Don't  feed  mustard  seed  or  turnip  seed  instead  ot 
sweet  rape ;  they  look  like  good  rape  but  are  bitter, 
and  as  fit  for  food  for  a  bird  as  sawdust  is  for  you. 

Don't  let  the  canary  fly  about  the  room  if  you 
want  his  best  songs. 

Don't  carry  the  bird  out  of  doors  in  cold  weather 


THE    CANARY.  31 

with  cage  only  partly  covered.  Wrap  the  cage  com- 
pletely in  three  thicknesses  of  paper  in  winter ;  in 
spring  and  autumn  two  thicknesses ;  in  summer  one 
thickness.  In  summer  only  put  two  or  three  pencil 
holes  in  the  paper. 

DISEASES.  —  Colds,  draughts  of  air,  poor  seeds,  and 
impure  water  cause  most  diseases.  A  bird  with  a 
cold  is  puffed  up,  sometimes  remaining  still  on  the 
perch  and  breathing  hard,  and  at  other  times  hop- 
ping about  on  the  bottom  of  the  cage  and  constantly 
eating.  Don't  let  the  cold  "  run,"  for  it  will  likely 
run  away  with  the  bird.  Use  home  remedies  until 
you  can  get  proper  medicines.  Give  the  paste  made 
from  one  third  of  yolk  and  white  of  a  hard  boiled  egg 
grated  or  mashed,  as  much  red  pepper  as  will  stay  on 
a  ten  cent  piece,  and  two  or  three  drops  of  olive  or 
table  oil,  all  thoroughly  mixed.  Put  from  two  to  six 
drops  of  whiskey  in  the  drinking  water  which  should 
be  given  warm,  that  is  from  five  per  cent  to  ten  per 
cent  of  whiskey  in  the  water.  Keep  the  bird  in  a 
quiet,  warm  place.  When  a  bird  does  not  take  the 
liquid  remedies  a  small  dropper  should  be  used  and 
doses  dropped  in  his  mouth  every  two  or  three  hours 
as  the  case  demands.  Use  Holden's  Bird  Cure  No. 
4  for  cold  or  moulting.  Also,  hang  a  small  strip  of 
raw,  fat,  salt  pork  in  the  cage.  Let  him  eat  this,  and 
put  a  new  piece  in  every  other  day. 

Loss  OF  VOICE. —  When  this  is  caused  by  a  cold, 
treat  as  above.  If  it  is  caused  by  the  bird's  having 
sung  too  much,  dissolve  a  piece  of  unflavored  rock 
candy  the  size  of  a  pea  in  the  drinking  water;  give 


32  THE   CANARY. 

also  the  paste,  and  cover  the  cage  so  the  bird  will  not 
try  to  sing.  This  treatment  should  be  continued  for 
some  days  until  the  hoarseness  disappears. 

ASTHMA  OR  HARD  BREATHING.  —  When  this  results 
from  a  cold,  give  the  paste  and  whiskey,  and  also  the 
raw,  fat,  salt  pork  cut  into  bits  like  seeds  and  put  red 
pepper  on  it.  A  teaspoonful  of  quite  warm  milk  with 
bread  in  it  is  good,  and  a  bit  of  sponge  cake  soaked 
in  sherry  wine  may  be  put  in  as  a  separate  dish.  All 
these  remedies  should  be  given  fresh  two  or  three 
times  a  day.  Withhold  the  canary  seed  and  moisten 
the  rape  seed  so  the  dust  will  all  be  removed  and  the 
hulls  will  be  made  soft.  Use  Holden's  Bird  Cure  No. 
5  for  asthma. 

DIARRHCEA.  — This  is  caused  by  a  cold,  or  by  poor, 
musty  seed,  or  foul  drinking  water.  Cure  the  cold,  or 
change  the  seed  and  water.  Drop  with  a  dropper 
which  has  a  rubber  bulb  to  force  the  fluid  out,  three 
or  four  drops  of  table,  or  olive,  oil  in  the  bird's  mouth ; 
put  a  rusty  nail  in  water  with  four  drops  of  brandy. 
Put  a  good  pinch  of  pulverized  chalk,  common  chalk, 
in  the  bottom  of  the  cage  with  the  gravel.  If  the 
disease  continues  twenty-four  to  thirty-six  hours  with 
any  severity,  put  two  to  four,  or  even  more,  drops  of 
paregoric  in  the  water.  The  cage  should  be  cleaned 
three  times  a  day,  and  fresh  gravel,  which  has  been 
warmed,  strewn  in  it.  Another  remedy  is  to  give 
from  five  to  fifteen  drops  each  of  elixir  of  vitriol  and 
of  tincture  of  opium  in  the  water.  When  the  bird 
gets  better  continue  the  egg  food,  without  pepper,  or 
give  some  of  Holden's  Song  Restorer,  as  a  bracing 


THE    CANARY.  33 

tonic.  This  Restorer  is  used  largely  now  in  all  cases 
of  weakness  or  debility,  instead  of  the  egg;  it  is 
more  nourishing  and  more  easily  digested.  Use 
Holden's  Bird  Cure  No.  i  for  diarrhoea. 

CONSTIPATION.  —  From  four  to  six  drops  of  castor 
oil  dropped  in  the  bird's  mouth,  or  as  an  injection  for 
the  rear  passage,  usually  affords  prompt  relief.  Give 
apple  or  freshly  grated  raw  carrot  with  a  trifle  of  pul- 
verized sugar  on  it.  In  severe,  continued  cases  put 
two  drops  of  glycerine  in  a  teaspoonful  of  warm, 
soapy  water,  and  give  an  injection  of  ten  drops  with 
the  dropper.  A  second  injection,  if  needed,  may  be 
given  in  a  few  minutes.  Use  Holden's  Bird  Cure  No. 
2  for  constipation. 

EPILEPSY  OR  FITS.  —  This  is  caused  by  too  rich  food, 
over-eating,  or  too  frequent  mating,  any  one  of  which 
may  cause  a  partial  suspension  of  the  heart's  action ; 
or  it  may  be  caused  by  fright.  When  the  bird  is 
attacked  hold  the  cage  in  the  fresh  air  and  sprinkle  a 
few  drops  of  cold  water  on  the  bird's  head.  If  pos- 
sible discover  the  cause.  Hanging  the  cage  in  the 
hot  sun  often  causes  fits.  In  such  a  case  smelling 
salts  are  required  in  addition  to  the  water.  The  diet 
should  be  carefully  regulated ;  perhaps  too  much 
canary  seed  has  been  eaten.  In  that  case  give  more 
of  the  German  summer  rape  seed,  and  every  second 
day  a  little  cracker  soaked  in  milk. 

RUPTURE,  INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  BOWELS.  —  This 
is  caused  by  eating  too  stimulating  food,  or  from 
sour  food  or  bad  water.  The  symptoms  are  lan- 
guidness,  the  bird  rarely  stands  up  on  his  feet  as  he 


34  THE   CANARY. 

should,  but  rests  his  body  on  the  perch,  and  does  not 
sing.  If  the  invalid  is  examined,  the  lower  part  of 
the  abdomen  will  be  found  to  be  of  a  color  varying 
from  a  rich  red  to  a  dark  red. 

The  diet  should  be  changed,  and  all  parts  of  the 
cage  and  cups  cleaned.  Dip  a  camel's-hair  brush 
into  warm  turpentine,  and  paint  the  inflamed  abdo- 
men; open  the  bowels  if  there  is .  constipation.  A 
few  drops  of  gum-arabic  should  be  added  daily  to 
the  drinking  water.  The  food  should  be  of  the 
lightest  description ;  light  biscuit  soaked  in  milk,  and 
given  fresh  every  three  hours,  should  be  the  main 
diet.  From  five  to  ten  drops  of  brandy  may  be 
added  to  the  drinking  water  if  the  bird  seems  quite 
weak.  As  the  bird's  health  improves  give  stimulat- 
ing food,  Song  Restorer. 

CRAMPS  are  caused  by  a  filthy  cage  or  close  con- 
finement in  too  small  a  cage.  Immerse  the  legs  in 
water  as  warm  as  bird  should  bear ;  give  a  larger  cage, 
and  put  two  drops  of  laudanum  in  the  drinking  water. 
Do  not  allow  the  bird  to  bathe  more  than  twice  a  week. 

THE  PIP  is  a  small  swelling  which  appears  on  the 
bird's  rump.  It  may  be  easily  cured  by  opening  the 
swelling  with  a  needle  and  rubbing  a  little  cold  cream 
gently  over  it. 

SURFEIT  is  indicated  by  a  slight  eruption  on  the 
body,  and  baldness,  slight  at  first,  and  then  extending 
all  over  the  head.  Feed  of  seeds  only  the  plain  rape ; 
give  a  piece  of  apple  daily  if  this  does  not  cause  too 
great  evacuations  of  the  bowels.  The  head  where 
bare  may  be  rubbed  with  any  simple  ointment. 


THE    CANARY.  35 

YELLOW  GALL  is  indicated  by  a  small  ulcer,  or 
a  number  of  them,  around  the  eyes.  If  the  bird  has 
been  fed  on  plain  food  change  to  a  more  nourishing 
diet ;  but  if  diet  has  been  too  rich  change  to  rape 
seed  only.  The  ulcers  should  be  cut  and  rubbed 
with  ointment  made  of  a  strong  solution  of  sugar  of 
lead  with  soft  water.  Saturate  the  ulcers  thoroughly 
with  this,  and  bathe  the  sore  parts  three  or  four  times 
a  day  until  healed. 

SORE  FEET  are  the  result  usually  of  filthy  cages  or 
from  lack  of  attention  to  the  legs  and  feet  while  the 
bird  is  growing  old.  Clean  dirty  feet  by  soaking 
them  in  warm  water,  removing  all  particles  of  dirt,  and 
after  wiping  dry,  anoint  them  with  glycerine  or  with 
Holden's  Bird  Cure  No.  6.  If  the  soreness  is  caused 
by  scales  which  grow  on  the  bird's  legs  as  he  gets  older, 
take  the  bird  in  hand  and  anoint  the  affected  parts 
with  cold  cream,  and,  after  three  applications  daily 
for  three  days,  gently  remove  the  scales  with  the  back 
edge  of  a  penknife  blade,  being  careful  not  to  break 
the  under-skin.  When  the  scales  are  removed  as 
much  as  possible,  anoint  daily  until  legs  and  feet  are 
healed. 

RED  AND  SWOLLEN  FEET  AND  LEGS  are  usually 
caused  by  too  little  green  food  and  too  much  canary 
seed.  A  bird  thus  affected  should  be  given  of  seeds 
only  the  German  summer  rape  for  three  months  or 
six  months,  and  apple,  size  of  a  thimble,  every  other 
day,  or  even  every  day,  if  it  does  not  cause  too  great 
diarrhoea.  This  method  of  feeding  will  change  the 
blood  and  effect  a  cure. 


36  THE    CANARY. 

BARE  PLACES  about  the  eyes  or  above  the  beak, 
or  around  the  neck,  are  caused  often  by  too  hearty 
diet.  Give  only  plain  rape,  also  apple  daily  or 
every  other  day  until  blood  is  changed  so  the  feathers 
grow  properly. 

PULLING  THE  FEATHERS  from  the  body  or  outer 
part  of  wings  is  caused  by  bad  blood.  Give  only 
rape  seed  and  the  apple. 

A  HARD  GROWTH  which  forms  just  above  the  beak 
may  be  touched  daily  with  vaseline ;  after  a  time  the 
core  will  drop  off.  This  is  a  blood  trouble;  give 
rape  and  apple. 

The  universal  cry  is :  "  My  bird  will  not  eat  the 
rape."  On  investigation,  I  generally  find  that  the 
alleged  rape  is  only  mustard  seeds,  or  turnip  seeds 
which  are  bitter,  or  that  the  mixture  contains  one 
part  rape  and  nine  parts  canary,  or  canary  and  millet 
seeds ;  or  else,  if  the  mixture  has  been  made  right, 
fully  half  German  summer  rape,  so  much  seed  is 
given  each  day  that  the  bird  has  all  he  wants  to  eat 
in  his  preferred  seed,  the  canary,  and  so  does  not  eat 
the  rape. 

A  LARGE  TEASPOONFUL  OF  SEED,  provided  it  is  m 
a  receptable  from  which  the  bird  can  get  it  all  readily, 
is  enough  for  one  bird  one  day. 

When  I  was  a  child  and  was  offered  mince  pie  and 
bread,  I  never  cared  for  bread ;  bread  was  an  insult ; 
and  so  a  bird  always  lives,  if  possible,  with  the  idea, 
"  Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die."  The 
dying  part  is  sure  soon  to  follow  when  you  permit  a 
bird  to  eat  for  some  months  as  he  wishes. 


THE  CANARY.  37 

THE  NAILS  often  grow  long  and  hook- shaped,  and 
need  to  be  cut.  Hold  the  bird  up  to  a  strong  light 
so  the  vein  in  each  nail  may  be  seen ;  then  cut  each 
nail,  avoiding  the  vein. 

THE  BEAK  also  grows  so  the  bird  has  difficulty  in 
eating ;  cut  the  overgrown  parts  with  sharp  scissors, 
and  scrape  them  into  correct  shape  carefully  with 
edge  of  a  penknife  blade.  If  convenient,  send  the 
bird  into  the  store  for  these  surgical  operations. 

BROKEN  LEGS  may  be  set  if  broken  between  the 
joints.  Shear  the  feathers  off  around  the  break,  and 
draw  the  leg  carefully  away  from  the  body,  so  that 
the  ends  of  the  bone  may  be  pressed  into  place. 
Then  place  strips  of  court  plaster  a  sixteenth  of  an 
inch  wide,  inside  and  outside  of  the  leg,  and  extend- 
ing one  third  inch,  if  possible,  each  side  of  the 
break.  Other  narrow  strips  may  be  put  around  the 
legs,  in  three  or  four  places,  to  hold  the  lengthwise 
"  court-plaster  splints  "  in.  place.  Put  the  food,  seeds, 
and  Song  Restorer,  and  water  inside  the  cage,  on  the 
bottom,  so  the  bird  will  not  have  to  struggle  to  get 
up  on  the  perches  and  thus  dislocate  the  break. 

A  BIRD  is  PUFFED  UP  when  he  has  diarrhoea,  when 
constipated,  when  there  has  been  neglect  in  feeding 
or  watering,  when  he  has  a  cold,  when  a  mouse  gets  in 
his  cage  at  night,  when  insects  are  devouring  him,  or 
when  he  is  in  any  way  diseased. 

RED  INSECTS  seem  to  come  out  of  the  air,  and  get 
on  the  bird  regardless  of  the  best  care.  The  symp- 
toms are  a  puffed  appearance,  alternating  with  a 
scratching,  a  shaking  and  frequent  pecking  at  the 


3$  THE    CANARY. 

body.  Put  .a  dry  white  cloth  with  some  creases  in  it 
over  the  cage  at  night,  and  if  there  are  insects  some 
will  be  found  in  the  creases  or  on  other  parts  of  the 
cloth  in  the  morning.  To  destroy  all  the  vermin 
about  the  bird  remove  the  hollow  top  from  the  body 
of  the  cage ;  wash  it  out  and  put  some  of  the  German 
Insect  powder  in  it  and  leave  it  in  it,  fastening  the 
top  again  to  the  cage.  Take  the  bird  in  your  hand 
and  dust  the  powder  all  through  his  feathers 
thoroughly,  using  your  ringers,  not  a  bellows,  to  do  it 
thoroughly.  Two  applications  made  within  four  days' 
time  are  sure  to  exterminate  all  the  pests.  If  the  bird 
is  in  a  wooden  cage  change  him  to  another  cage,  scald 
the  wood  work  with  water  having  soda  in  it,  and  var- 
nish all  the  wood  work  two  or  three  times,  and  dry 
the  varnish  to  a  hard  condition,  before  again  using 
the  cage.  Young  insects  are  black;  the  older  ones 
full  of  the  bird's  blood  are  red. 

THE  MOULTING  SEASON  with  birds  a  year  old  or 
more  is  regularly  some  parts  of  August,  September, 
or  October,  and  generally  lasts  from  six  to  eight 
weeks,  or,  with  very  old  birds,  sometimes  longer.  The 
operation  is  a  weakening  process,  and  this  is  why  the 
bird  should  then  have  extra  strengthening  food,  and 
a  comfortably  warm  place,  say  70°,  out  of  all  draughts, 
with  the  cage  covered  at  6  p.  M.  Give  the  egg  mix- 
ture daily,  or  a  half  teaspoonful  of  Holden's  Song 
Restorer.  A  bird  in  good  health  should  moult  only 
once  in  a  year,  and  in  those  months  ;  birds  moulting 
at  other  times  have  colds,  and  should  be  treated  for 
colds. 


THE    CANARY.  39 

MICE  ARE  FOND  of  bird  seeds,  and  admirers  of 
birds  ;  and  if  they  can  get  into  a  cage  will  remain  there 
for  hours.  Their  continued  visits  usually  cause  a 
canary  to  go  into  a  decline  so  he  does  not  sing  and 
often  permanently  loses  his  health.  Mice  will  run  up 
a  curtain  or  even  a  hard  surface  if  it  is  not  exactly 
perpendicular.  Destroy  them. 

CUTTLE  FISH  is  necessary  for  all  seed-eating  birds 
on  account  of  the  salt  it  contains.  A  new  one  should 
be  placed  in  the  cage  every  three  months. 

CURES,  INSECT  POWDER,  REMEDIES. — We  put  up 
simple  remedies,  as  follows :  Holden's  Bird  Cures : 
Cure  No.  One,  for  Diarrhoea ;  No.  Two,  for  Constipa- 
tion ;  No.  Three,  for  Debility ;  No.  Four,  for  Colds, 
or  moulting  out  of  season ;  No.  Five,  for  Asthma,  and 
loss  of  voice;  No.  Six,  for  Sore  Feet;  No.  Seven, 
German  Insect  Powder;  No.  Eight,  Holden's  Song 
Restorer.  Any  one  of  these  will  be  forwarded  by 
mail  prepaid  for  25  cents,  or  any  eight  packages  for 
$1.75.  Full  directions  for  use  with  each. 

BIRD  TONIC.  —  Holden's  Bird  Tonic  —  a  liquid, 
my  own  prescription  —  is  one  of  the  best  tonics  to 
strengthen  a  bird  during  moulting  season,  and  is  one 
of  the  best  remedies  for  cold  or  for  asthma,  either 
alone,  or  in  connection  with  cures  No.  4  or  No.  5. 
Price,  25  cents.  Being  a  liquid,  it  cannot  be  mailed, 
but  can  be  sent  by  express. 

All  the  small  seed-eating  birds,  such  as  the  Bulfmch, 
the  Goldfinch,  the  Linnet,  the  Indigo,  and  Nonpareil, 
and  the  Paroquets  and  small  Finches  may  be  treated, 
in  case  of  sickness,  just  like  the  Canary. 


THE   GOLDFINCH. 

*  OH  !  what  is  so  pretty,  so  cunning,  so  gay, 
So  daintily  busy  the  livelong  day, 
As  my  little  goldfinch,  —  beautiful  pet,  — 
With  his  butterfly  wings,  and  cap  of  jet  ? 

Far,  far,  from  his  native  bowers  of  bloom, 
He  lives  a  prisoner,  yet  feels  no  gloom  ; 
For  his  merry  glance  and  his  sprightly  song 
Tell  plainly  as  words  that  he  fears  no  wrong.** 


C4Q) 


THE   GOLDFINCH.  4* 

THE  GOLDFINCH,  of  all  parlor  birds,  is  certainly 
one  of  the  most  delightful,  alike  for  the  beauty  of 
his  plumage,  the  excellence  of  his  song,  his  proved 
docility,  and  remarkable  cleverness.  He  is  also  very 
easily  tamed,  and  is  capable  of  great  attachment  to 
his  owner ;  and  may  be  taught  various  amusing 
tricks,  such  as  dragging  a  little  wagon  up  an  inclined 
plane  into  his  cage  to  supply  himself  with  food,  or 
to  ring  a  bell  whenever  he  requires  attention,  and  to 
haul  up  water  from  a  little  well  underneath  the  cage. 
All  these  he  will  learn  very  readily,  and  without 
any  coercion. 

Goldfinches  have  been  known  to  live  confined  in 
a  cage  for  sixteen  or  twenty  years ;  and,  though 
they  may  lose  their  bright  colors,  they  retain  their 
activity  and  cheerfulness  of  disposition.  Their  food, 
in  their  wild  state,  consists  of  all  kinds  of  seeds, 
&c. :  in  a  cage,  they  should  be  fed  upon  maw-seed. 
As  their  bill,  though  as  sharp  as  a  needle,  is  in  young 
birds  quite  soft,  and,  although  very  fond  of  rape 
and  canary  seed,  they  cannot  readily  crack  it  until 
they  are  at  least  two  years  old,  it  would  always  be 
well  to  soak  a  little  canary  and  rape  for  them,  thereby 
softening  the  hull,  and  making  it  a  matter  of  no 
trouble  for  them  to  crack ;  and  occasionally,  as  a 
reward  for  some  trick,  or  display  of  affection,  a  few 
crushed  hemp-seed,  which  he  should  be  made  to 
take  from  the  hand.  Most  wild  birds,  when  cap- 
tured, become  in  confinement  sullen  and  dispirited : 
want  of  exercise  and  of  a  peculiar  kind  of  food  so 
alters  the  quality  of  the  fluids,  that  fits  and  ailments 


42  GOLDFINCH   DISEASES. 

ensue  ;  and  the  bird  mopes,  and  soon  dies.  Not  so 
with  the  goldfinch  :  immediately  after  his  capture  he 
commences  to  feed  on  maw-seed,  mixed  equal  parts 
with  hemp,  rape,  and  canary,  frisk  about  the  cage, 
and  dress  his  plumage,  without  manifesting  the  least 
apparent  regret  for  the  loss  of  companions  or  liberty. 
His  beauty,  melody,  and  speedy  reconciliation  to 
confinement,  render  him  a  desirable  companion  ;  and 
he  is  captured  to  cheer  us  with  his  manners  and 
voice  in  airs  and  regions  very  different  from  his 
native  thistly  downs  and  apple-blossom  bowers. 

There  are  many  varieties  of  the  goldfinch,  shown 
by  the  difference  in  markings  or  colors  of  the 
plumage.  The  highest  prized  of  these  varieties  are 
the  scarlet-headed,  which  has  the  entire  head  colored 
in  rich  scarlet  or  crimson :  there  are  no  other  mark- 
ings to  mar  the  brilliancy  of  color  on  the  head. 
This  is  a  very  rare  and  beautiful  variety.  The 
white-breasted  Cheveral,  or  King  Goldfinch,  has 
a  pure  white  breast,  and  clear  white  ring  around  the 
neck.  This  variety  is  highly  prized  as  a  breeder  of 
white  or  handsomely  marked  goldfinch-canary  hybrids. 
The  white-legged  variety  is  esteemed  for  the  readi- 
ness with  which  he  mates  with  the  female  canary. 
The  Black  Goldfinch  is  a  variety  which  is  obtained 
by  keeping  the  bird  in  close  confinement  in  a  dark- 
ened room.  The  goldfinch  hybrids  are  in  some  cases 
very  beautiful  birds,  and  exhibit  a  wonderful  variety 
of  markings  and  color.  The  pure  white  is  the  high- 
est prized,  and  the  colors  range  from  that  of  the 
above  specimen  to  the  very  dark,  and  are  varied  by 


GOLDFINCH   DISEASES.  43 

elegant  spots  of  brilliant  crimson  or  yellow  through- 
out the  plumage.  The  goldfinch  is  found  throughout 
Europe,  and  in  the  summer  season  frequents  gar- 
dens, groves,  and  even  mountainous  districts  which 
are  not  altogether  uncultivated. 

The  goldfinch,  when  caged,  sings  throughout  the 
year,  with  the  exception  of  the  moulting  season. 
His  song  is  on  a  high  key,  and  real  agreeable,  and 
contains  many  warbles,  trills,  and  twittering  notes, 
which  are  intermingled  in  a  most  charming  manner. 
The  bird,  during  the  continuance  of  his  song,  is  in 
constant  motion  ;  and  these  lively  movements,  com- 
bined with  his  graceful  form,  delicately  blended 
colors,  and  sprightly  song,  make  him  one  of  the 
most  attractive  bird  objects  with  which  a  home  can  be 
adorned.  Goldfinches  may  be  reared  in  cages  in 
the  same  manner  as  canaries;  their  mating  season 
begins  in  April. 

GOLDFINCH  HAS  DISEASES,  epilepsy,  diarrhoea, 
constipation,  etc.,  which  may  be  treated  in  the  same 
manner  as  like  ailments  in  canaries.  Decline,  or 
wasting,  is  cured  by  changing  the  diet  to  richer  food, 
giving  freely  apple  or  any  fruit  the  bird  will  eat,  and 
lean,  raw,  juicy,  scraped  beef.  Giddiness  may  be 
treated  by  withdrawing  the  maw-seed  and  feeding  on 
soaked  millet  and  rape  seeds. 

The  goldfinch,  if  properly  cared  for,  will  live 
caged  for  twelve  or  sixteen  years,  and  in  his  old  age 
will  lose  none  of  his  gay  colors,  general  friskiness, 
or  sprightly  melody.  His  cage  should  be  of  the 
square  style,  from  ten  to  sixteen  inches  long. 


TTfE  LINNET. 

I  wadna  gie  the  Unties  sang, 

Sae  merry  on  the  broomy  lea, 
For  all  the  harps  that  ever  rang 

In  all  the  halls  of  minstrelsie. 
Mair  dear  to  me,  where  bush  or  breer 

Amang  the  pathless  heather  grows, 
The  Unties  wild  sweet  note  to  hear, 

As  on  the  ev'nin'  breeze  it  flows. 

Burns. 

THE  LINNET,  either  gray  or  brown,  is  a  beautiful 
songster,  and  is  very  generally  kept  throughout  Eu- 
rope. He  is  of  a  hardy  constitution,  easily  domesti- 
cated, a  most  lovely  and  constant  singer,  uttering 
many  very  sweet,  flute-like  notes ;  and  if  fed  princi- 
pally on  canary  and  rape  seed,  with  occasionally  a 
very  few  hemp  seed,  will  remain  in  health. 

These  two  birds  are  spoken  of  as  two  distinct 
varieties,  but  in  reality  they  are  not ;  for  the  same 
bird  which  at  one  year  old,  when  it  has  no  red  feath- 
ers in  the  head,  is  a  gray  linnet,  becomes  after  the 
second  moulting,  when  the  red  of  the  breast  takes  a 
golden  hue  from  the  yellowish-white  margins  of  the 


THE    LINNET.  45 

feathers,  a  yellow  linnet ;  and  in  the  spring  of 
the  third  year,  when  the  forehead  is  blood  red,  the 
feathers  on  the  side  of  the  breast  the  same  color, 
and  a  ferruginous  tinge  prevails  over  the  whole  body, 
the  bird  comes  out  in  all  his  glory  as  a  rose  linnet. 
By  and  by,  when  age  steals  on,  or  sickness  or  con- 
finement tell  upon  the  constitution  of  the  sweet 
songster,  he  falls  from  his  high  estate  ;  his  plumage 
changes,  and  he  is  a  brown,  gray,  or  yellow  linnet, 
as  the  case  may  be.  There  is  scarcely  any  bird,  per- 
haps, that  puts  on  so  many  different  dresses  in  the 
course  of  his  life  as  our  little  linnet ;  there  is 
scarcely  any  telling  what  changes  each  moult  will 
produce  :  that  is,  in  a  state  of  confinement ;  for  in 
a  natural  state  the  bird  will  go  through  its  regular 
gradations  of  plumage  in  a  natural  manner,  and  one 
may  safely  judge  of  his  age  by  his  dress  ;  but  in  an 
artificial  state  it  is  not  so. 

He  is  fond  of  bathing,  and  we  might  say  of  two 
kinds :  first,  like  the  skylark,  in  plenty  of  gravel  (of 
which  there  must  be  an  abundance  in  the  cage)  ; 
and,  second,  in  water,  and  a  bathing-dish  must  be 
given  daily.  His  diseases  are  similar  to  all  seed- 
eating  birds  in  confinement;  and  the  treatment 
must  be  the  same,  for  which  see  article  on  Sick 
Birds. 

LINNET  MULES.  —  The  male  linnet  will  some- 
times mate  with  the  canary ;  but  the  mules  are  not 
nearly  so  beautiful  as  the  offspring  of  the  goldfinch 
and  canary,  though  they  are  generally  good  song- 
sters, and  highly  prized  on  that  account. 


THE   SISKIN. 

THE  SISKIN,  sometimes  called  the  black-headed 
thistlefinch,  in  point  of  beauty  will  bear  no  com- 
parison with  the  goldfinch,  although  possessing 
this  recommendation  in  a  high  degree.  The  prevail- 
ing color  of  plumage  is  a  yellowish  green,  elegantly 
marked  and  shaded  with  black ;  a  neat  little  bird, 
with  a  short  tail,  and  stout  beak  ;  the  top  of  the  head 
is  altogether  black,  hence  one  of  its  names. 

This,  as  well  as  the  goldfinch  and  linnet,  is  one  of 
the  species  used  in  crossing  with  the  canary.  In 
Europe  a  favorite  cage-bird,  and  really  a  beautifully 
plumaged  one.  Their  song  is  short  and  low,  though 
very  agreeable,  and  they  imitate  with  facility  the 
notes  of  various  birds.  Caged,  they  should  be  fed 
on  maw-seed  mixed  with  crushed  hemp.  As  they 
are  a  greedy  bird,  care  must  be  taken  not  to  feed 
them  too  much.  In  health  or  sickness  their  treat- 
ment, except  feeding,  should  be  the  same  as  the 
canary. 

(46) 


THE  CHAFFINCH. 

"  The  low,  sweet  singing  of  a  bird, 
The  murmur  of  the  breeze,  — 
How  soft  would  glide  our  fleeting  hours, 
Blest  as  the  sunshine  and  the  flowers, 
And  calm  as  summer  seas  ! " 

Amelia. 

THE  CHAFFINCH. — Who  that  has  ever  read  the 
letter  of  Michelet  to  his  good  wife,  in  his  work  en- 
titled "The  Bird,"  could  have  failed  to  read  his 
vivid  description  of  a  poor  blind  chaffinch  that  was 
offered  for  sale  in  the  great  bird  auction  rooms  in 
Paris  ?  This  bird  had  been  a  pet ;  and  poverty  in 
the  family  had  compelled  his  sale.  This  bird  is  one 
of  the  many  European  song-birds,  and  for  the  sweet- 
(47) 


48"  SONG   OF   CHAFFINCH. 

ness  of  his  song,  as  well  as  for  his  sleek  plumage, 
should  be  generally  kept. 

In  Germany  chaffinches  are  so  highly  valued  that 
very  high  prices  are  given  for  them  if  they  possess 
a  fine  song ;  a  common  workman  will  give  sixteen 
shillings  for  a  bird  whose  notes  he  considers  good, 
and  will  frequently  live  upon  bread  and  water  until 
he  can  save  money  to  purchase  the  desired  ob- 
ject. 

His  wild  notes  are  soft  and  mellow,  but  have 
little  variety :  they  are  first  heard  very  early  in  the 
year  ;  for  Chaffy  seems  at  all  times  ambitious  to  open 
the  vernal  chorus,  and  to  make  a  start  before  any 
other  of  the  feathered  musicians  have  got  their  in- 
struments in  order.  A  curious  circumstance  con- 
nected with  the  natural  history  of  chaffinches  is, 
that  the  males  and  females  separate  during  the 
winter,  and  resort  to  different  parts  of  the  country : 
hence  the  scientific  name  ccelebs,  or  the  bachelor,  ap- 
plied to  this  bird.  In  Europe  they  have  singing 
matches  amongst  their  birds,  and  the  chaffinch  that 
sings  the  greatest  number  of  perfect  notes  within  a 
given  time  gains  the  prize  for  his  owner.  A  perfect 
note  is  represented  by  the  syllables  toll-loll-loll-chick- 
wee-do ;  and  if  a  bird  slurs  them  over,  or  stops  at 
chick  or  wee,  the  note  is  not  counted. 

They  are  extremely  docile,  and  can  be  trained,  or 
taught  to  perform  many  amusing  tricks.  Their  food 
should  be  the  same  as  the  canary ;  adding,  however, 
in  the  spring,  a  few  hemp-seed  to  induce  them  tr 
sing  more  freely. 


THE   BIRDS    OF    KILLINGWORTH.  49 


THE  ballad-singers  and  the  troubadours, 

The  street-musicians  of  the  heavenly  city, — 
The  birds,  who  make  sweet  music  for  us  all 
In  our  dark  hours,  as  David  did  for  Saul. 

The  thrush  that  carols  at  the  dawn  of  day 
From  the  green  steeples  of  the  piny  wood  ; 

The  oriole  in  the  elm ;  the  noisy  jay, 
Jargoning  like  a  foreigner  at  his  food  ; 

The  bluebird  balanced  on  some  topmost  spray, 
Flooding  with  melody  the  neighborhood  ; 

Linnet  and  meadow-lark,  and  all  the  throng 

That  dwell  in  nests,  and  have  the  gift  of  song. 

Whose  household  words  are  songs  in  many  keys, 

Sweeter  than  instrument  of  man  e'er  caught. 
Whose  habitations  in  the  tree-tops  even 
Are  half-way  houses  on  the  road  to  heaven. 

Think,  every  morning  when  the  sun  peeps  through 
The  dim,  leaf-latticed  windows  of  the  grove, 

How  jubilant  the  happy  birds  renew 

Their  old,  melodious  madrigals  of  love  ! " 

Longfellow, 


THE   BULFINCH. 

BULFINCH.  —  This  bird  has  no  natural  song,  but  is 
gifted  with  the  ability  of  imitating,  with  an  astonish- 
ing accuracy,  in  a  sweet  and  flutelike  tone,  almost 
any  air  that  is  whistled,  or  played  to  them  on  an 
instrument.  This  has  made  him  a  great  favorite 
among  all  lovers  of  birds. 

In  Germany,  particularly  in  Hesse  and  Saxony,  a 
large  number  of  these  birds  are  taught,  and  by  the 
dealers  brought  to  various  parts  of  the  world.  The 
raising  and  teaching  is  generally  accomplished  by 
shoemakers,  tailors,  and  weavers,  who,  being  con- 
fined to  their  rooms,  are  thus  enabled  to  take  care  of 
them.  The  teaching  begins  from  the  time  they  are 
taken  into  the  house.  The  tune  that  it  is  intended 
they  should  learn  is  whistled  to  them  —  whistling  is 
always  preferred,  as  instruments  are  generally  too 
shrill — several  times  a  day,  more  particularly  in 
the  morning  and  evening.  The  tune  must  be  whis- 
tled always  in  the  same  key,  and  no  other  tune 
whistled  in  the  hearing  of  the  bird,  which  is  kept 


THE   BULFINCH.  51 

in  rather  a  dark  place  during  the  process  of  train- 
ing. 

Taken  as  they  are  when  quite  young,  and  brought 
up  by  hand,  they  are  always  tame,  and  will  take  food 
from  the  hand  of  any  one,  and  may  be  trained  to 
sing  or  pipe  their  tune  at  command :  they  very  soon 
learn  to  know  the  person  who  feeds  them,  —  and 
we  will  here  remark  that  the  same  person  should 
always  feed  them,  —  and  will  pipe  their  tune,  making 
beautiful  and  elegant  gestures,  now  moving  the 
body,  and  then  the  head,  first  to  the  right,  then  to 
the  left,  spreading  the  tail  like  a  fan,  and  seem- 
ingly "fanning"  with  it,  when  they  commence  with 
a  short  flourish,  or  prelude,  and  pipe  their  tune 
through  perfectly. 

The  bulfinch  should  be  fed  principally  on  sum- 
mer rape-seed,  to  which  may  be  added  a  little 
canary,  and  occasionally  one  or  two  hemp-seed,  as 
a  reward  for  piping  his  tune.  Sugar,  sweet-cakes, 
or  such-like  delicacies,*spoil  their  taste,  and  should 
not  be  given  to  them.  A  little  greens  in  the  sum- 
mer, or  sweet  apple  in  the  winter,  is  very  whole 
some,  both  of  which  must  be  fresh.  As  their  claws 
grow  very  fast,  and  also  very  hooking,  they  must  be 
cut  at  least  twice  a  year.  They  must  always  be 
handled  very  gently,  as  they  are  easily  frightened, 
and  harsh  treatment  often  causes  their  death. 

These  birds  usually  moult  in  the  month  of  Sep- 
tember •  and,  as  they  shed  their  feathers  very  rap- 
idly,—  sometimes  becoming  almost  bare  in  one  day, 
—  great  care  must  be  taken  to  keep  them  from  alJ 


52  THE    BULFINCH. 

draughts  of  air;  and,  in  addition  to  their  regular 
seed,  a  little  of  the  yolk  of  a  hard-boiled  egg 
should  be  fed  diem  at  least  three  times  a  week. 

The  bulfincii  has  diseases.  These,  however,  are 
usually  caused  by  improper  care;  for  if  the  bird 
be  fed  and  watered  regularly  every  day,  at  the 
same  hour  and  by  the  same  person,  and  plenty  of 
dry  sand  freely  used,  the  cause  of  disease  is  greatly 
reduced.  Occasionally  these  birds  are  troubled 
with  a  diarrhoea,  and  can  be  greatly  relieved,  and 
many  times  a  permanent  cure  effected,  by  placing 
a  rusty  nail  in  their  drinking-water :  a  nail  should 
also  be  placed  in  their  drinking-water  during  moult- 
ing season  j  and,  should  a  bird  be  troubled  with  the 
reverse  of  this  complaint,  —  costiveness,  —  a  piece 
of  sweet  apple,  a  little  chickweed,  lettuce,  or  any 
green  food,  will  usually  afford  full  relief.  Occa- 
sionally this  bird  will  appear  dumpish,  sitting  all 
day  upon  his  perch  with  ruffled  feathers :  the  best 
mode  of  treatment  is  to  give  "him  a  supply  of  maw,  or 
what  is  sometimes  called  poppy-seed,  which  will  in 
most  cases  quickly  restore  him  to  his  usual  spirits. 

Piping  bulfinches  arrive  from  Europe  about 
December  i  each  year,  and  are  on  sale  from  then 
until  June  i,  and  I  have  some  seasons  had  them  for 
sale  all  through  the  year.  To  me  they  are  the  most 
charming  and  enjoyable  of  all  cage  birds.  They 
pipe  "  How  can  I  leave  thee,"  "The  bridal  wreath 
for  thee  we  twine,"  "  Away  to  the  wildwood," 
"  Polly  Perkins,"  "I  will  love  you  forever,"  "The 
mill  in  the  valley,"  "America,"  and  other  songs. 


THE  NIGHTINGALE. 

"  Night  from  her  ebon  throne  stoops  down  to  listen 

To  this  the  sweetest  songster  of  the  grove ; 
And  pulses  thrill,  and  eyes  with  rapture  glisten, 
As  forth  she  pours  her  plaintive  song  of  love." 

THIS  bird  is  decidedly  the  most  melodious  of  all 
singing-birds.     The  compass,  flexibility,  prodigious 
variety,   and  harmony  of  his  voice,  make  him  the 
(53) 


54  THE   NIGHTINGALE. 

greatest  favorite  of  the  lovers  of  the  beauty  of  na- 
ture.    Coleridge  wrote  thus  of  this  bird :  — 

"  The  merry  nightingale, 
That  crov/ds  and  hurries  and  precipitates, 
With  fast,  thick  warble,  his  delicious  notes, 
As  if  he  were  fearful  that  an  April  night 
Would  be  too  short  for  him  to  utter  forth 
His  love-chant,  and  disburden  his  full  soul 
Of  all  its  music." 

He  will  sometimes  dwell  for  several  seconds  on  a 
strain  composed  of  only  two  or  three  melancholy 
tones,  beginning  in  an  under-voice,  and  swelling  it 
gradually  by  a  most  superb  crescendo  to  the  highest 
point  of  strength,  then  ending  it  by  a  dying  cadence. 
His  very  striking  musical  talent,  surpassing  all  other 
singing-birds,  has  acquired  for  him  the  name  of  the 
king  of  songsters. 

There  are  variations  in  the  voices  of  Nightingales, 
just  the  same  as  in  a  great  many  classes  of  song-birds. 
These  cannot  be  easily  accounted  for ;  it  may  be  that 
the  teaching  of  the  inferior-singing  Nightingales  has 
been  defective ;  in  other  cases,  where  the  Nightingale 
is  reared  in  forests  where  various  song-birds  abound, 
he  has  been  excited  by  rivalry  or  jealousy  to  perfect 
his  own  song  to  the  highest  degree  :  and  these  pecu- 
liarities may  be  transmitted  from  generation  to  gener_ 
ation.  The  same  conditions  of  rivalry  do  not  exist 
in  all  the  different  parts  of  the  world  which  the 
Nightingale  inhabits,  therefore  there  is  the  difference 
in  the  voices  of  birds  of  the  same  species  which  grow 
up  under  different  circumstances.  This  rivalry  of 


THE   NIGHTINGALE.  55 

the  choice  songsters  extends  to  the  small  districts 
where  they  are  trapped,  and  bird-lovers  of  one  dis- 
trict may  claim  a  superiority  for  the  birds  of  their 
own  country  over  those  of  a  neighboring  one.  Many 
discussions  have  arisen  as  to  the  relative  merits  of  the 
European  Nightingale  and  the  American  Mocking- 
bird. It  is  admitted  that  both  birds  are  the  leading 
representatives  in  song  of  the  countries  which  they 
represent.  Perhaps  the  discussion  will  never  be  fully 
decided ;  for  it  is  almost  impossible  to  compare  the 
songs  of  the  two  birds,  they  are  so  unlike  in  style. 
The  Nightingale  probably  rivals  the  Mocking-bird  in 
the  power,  brilliancy,  and  quality  of  the  natural  notes ; 
but,  while  a  mimic  in  a  small  degree,  he  cannot  bear 
comparison  with  the  Mocking-bird  in  this  respect. 

The  Nightingales  which  I  receive  are  now  taken 
from  nests  in  Germany  and  Italy  and  raised  by  hand ; 
and  because  of  being  "  hand-raised  "  they  arrive  here 
in  good  plumage,  and  many  of  them  are  tame  enough 
to  take  meal  worms  from  the  ringers.  Such  a  bird 
is  very  desirable  and  valuable,  for  he  is  easily  kept  in 
good  order  and,  being  indifferent  to  changes  of  loca- 
tion, is  at  home  anywhere,  and  ready  to  sing  at  all 
times.  This  bird  will  sing  nearly  the  whole  season. 

Years  ago  we  had  only  the  older  trapped^ birds, 
difficult  to  care  for  and  which  gave  us  little  melody; 
now,  in  1903,  we  have  the  young,  hand-raised  birds, 
easy  to  care  for,  free,  constant  songsters  and  strong 
enough  to  live  mmy  years.  Some  time  ago  I  heard 
a  Nightingale  in  Turin.  He  was  hanging  out  of  doors 
in  front  of  a  very  small  inn.  When  I  asked  if  the 


56  THE   NIGHTINGALE. 

bird  was  for  sale  the  owner  replied,  "  Oh,  yes."  Then 
he  took  a  slip  of  paper,  consulted  his  wife,  made 
quite  a  long  column  of  figures  and  adding  them  up, 
said,  "  15,000  francs."  Asked  for  an  explanation,  he 
replied,  "  The  bird  alone  cannot  be  sold ;  you  must 
pay  for  the  house  and  ground  and  the  wife,  too,  for 
she  could  not  live  without  the  bird."  I  admired  the 
wife's  love  for  the  bird,  but  not  intensely  enough  to 
warrant  my  owning  both. 

FOOD.  —  Use  the  dry  prepared  food.  Take  a  table- 
spoonful  and  an  equal  quantity,  or  a  little  more,  of 
grated  raw  carrot  and  its  juice,  mix  thoroughly. 
When  carrot,  late  in  season,  is  not  juicy  add  a  little 
water.  When  the  juicy  carrot  and  food  is  mixed 
properly  the  particles  should  fall  apart  and  not  be 
paste-like  enough  to  all  stick  together.  Add  a  dessert 
spoonful  of  ants'  eggs  which  have  been  moistened 
with  water.  Besides  this  the  bird  may  have  daily 
from  six  to  twelve  meal  worms.  Currants  thoroughly 
soaked  are  good,  as  is  also  any  fresh  fruit  or  berry  in 
its  season.  The  regular  bird  gravel  should  be  used, 
and  bath  given  three  or  four  times  a  week.  In  illness, 
follow  the  treatment  as  given  for  the  Mocking-bird. 

CAGE.  —  The  cage  now  used  which  I  have  had 
specially  arranged  is  all  brass,  body  n  x  i3x  17 
inches  high,  with  mocking-bird  cups,  and  perches 
half  inch  diameter.  It  has  a  new  pattern  of  base, 
extending  so  that  food  cannot  be  thrown  out. 


THE  BLACK-CAP. 

SWEET  warblers  of  the  sunny  hours, 

Forever  on  the  wing, 
I  love  them  as  I  love  the  flowers, 

The  sunlight,  and  the  spring. 
They  come  like  pleasant  memories 

In  summer's  joyous  time, 
And  sing  their  gushing  melodies 

As  I  would  sing  a  rhyme. 

In  the  green  and  quiet  places, 

Where  the  golden  sunlight  falls, 
We  sit  with  smiling  faces 

To  list  their  silver  calls. 
And,  when  their  holy  anthems 

Come  pealing  through  the  air, 
Our  hearts  leap  forth  to  meet  them 

With  a  blessing  and  a  prayer. 

Amid  the  morning's  fragrant  dew, 

Amid  the  mists  of  even, 
They  warble  on  as  if  they  drew 

Their  music  down  from  heaven. 
How  sweetly  sounds  each  mellow  note 

Beneath  the  moon's  pale  ray, 
When  dying  zephyrs  rise  and  float 

Like  lovers'  sighs  away  1 " 
(57) 


5  8  THE    BLACK-CAP. 

THE  BLACK-CAP,  sometimes  called  the  mock 
nightingale,  possesses,  in  the  opinion  of  some, 
powers  of  song  equal  to  those  of  the  more  univer- 
sally acknowledged  leader  of  the  sylvan  choir.  He 
is  a  most  delightful  singer ;  and  his  notes,  though 
quite  different,  are  no  less  admirable  than  the 
nightingale's,  and  are  heard  throughout  the  year, 
during  the  whole  day,  except  in  the  moulting 
season.  This  may  also  be  called  the  English 
mocking-bird,  as  he  readily  catches  the  notes  of  any 
other  songster  which  he  chances  to  hear.  Sweet 
says  that  he  has  heard  the  black-cap  imitate  the 
nightingale  so  exactly  that  even  his  practised  ear 
was  deceived. 

If  you  love  real  bird-music,  procure  a  black-cap  at 
any  cost ;  for  he  will  make  the  whole  house  ring 
again,  his  song  is  so  full,  so  sweet,  so  deep  and  loud, 
and  so  enriched  with  a  variety  of  oily,  silvery  mod- 
ulations, especially  that  long,  soft  shake*,  which, 
though  it  sinks  gradually  into  the  lowest  note  a  bird 
can  utter,  is  heard  as  distinctly  as  the  louder  tones ; 
and  then  just  as  you  think  it  is  about  to  die  away, 
and  you  begin  to  anticipate  the  silence  that  must 
follow,  higher  and  higher  swells  the  song  to  the  lofti- 
est burst  of  melody,  and  you  feel  as  if  you  wouldn't 
part  with  the  bird  for  twenty  times  his  weight  in  gold. 
When  singing  he  distends  his  little  throat,  while  the 
whole  body  quivers  with  delight,  telling  that  he  feels 
as  much  pleasure  as  he  gives  to  the  listener.  Gil- 
bert White,  whose  "  Natural  History  of  Selborne  " 
every  boy  ought  to  read  for  the  sake  of  its  beautiful 


THE    BLACK-CAP.  59 

descriptions  of  the  habits  of  birds  and  animals, 
speaking  of  the  black-cap,  says  his  "  note  has  such 
a  wild  sweetness  that  it  always  brings  to  my  mind 
those  lines  in  a  song  in  Shakspeare's  'As  You 
Like  It:'  — 

'  And  tune  his  merry  note 
Unto  the  sweet  bird's  throat.' " 

And  I  have  no  doubt  in  my  own  mind  that  Shak- 
speare  was  listening  to  the  singing  of  the  black-cap, 
or  called  to  memory  his  notes,  as  he  had  often  heard 
them  when  a  boy  in  the  green  fields  that  spread 
around  his  native  place,  when  he  composed  that 
beautiful  and  simple  song  which  begins  with,  — 

"  Under  the  greenwood  tree, 
Who  loves  to  lie  with  me." 

The  back  and  wings  of  the  black-cap  are  of  an 
olive  gray,  throat  and  breast  of  a  silvery  gray,  belly 
and  vent  white,  sides  of  the  head  and  back  of  the 
neck  ash  color,  and  the  top  of  head  black  as  night, 
whence  the  name.  Caged,  he  requires  the  same 
food  as  all  soft-bill  birds,  with  the  addition  of 
elderberries,  of  which  he  is  very  fond.  The  black- 
cap, and  most  of  the  genus,  suffer  from  tender  feet, 
and  swellings  or  warts  upon  them :  a  little  cold 
cream  will  soon  cure  these. 


TO   A    SKY-LARK. 

ETHEREAL  minstrel !  pilgrim  of  the  sky ! 
Dost  thou  despise  the  earth  where  cares  abound  ? 
Or,  while  the  wings  aspire,  are  heart  and  eye 
Both  with  thy  nest  upon  the  dewy  ground  ?  — 
Thy  nest,  which  thou  canst  drop  into  at  will, 
Those  quivering  wings  composed,  that  music  still. 

Leave  to  the  nightingale  her  shady  wood : 
A  privacy  of  glorious  light  is  thine  ; 
Whence  thou  dost  pour  upon  the  world  a  flood 
Of  harmony,  with  instinct  more  divine. 
Type  of  the  wise  who  soar,  but  never  roam, 
True  to  the  kindred  points  of  heaven  and  home. 

Wordsworth. 


(60) 


THE   SKY-LARK.  6T 

THIS  beautiful  warbler  is  spread  all  over  Europe, 
and  has  the  most  peculiar  manner  of  flying  of  any 
of  the  feathered  tribe,  his  movement  being  invaria- 
bly upwards  in  a  perpendicular  line  ;  after  leaving 
his  grassy  abode,  beginning  his  melodious  song, 
which  he  continues  unceasingly  till  nearly  out  of 
sight,  looking  like  a  mere  speck,  towards  the  heav- 
ens, —  and  even  then  you  may  hear  his  sweet  voice 
dying  away  as  if  in  the  clouds,  — he  descends  in  like 
manner,  still  continuing  to  gratify  his  hearers  below 
with  his  own  peculiar  melody  till  within  a  short  dis- 
tance from  his  nest ;  then  silently  alighting,  hiding 
himself  in  the  grass,  fearing,  as  if  by  instinct,  some 
straggling  wanderers  were  watching  his  movements, 
to  find  out  the  spot  to  "  rob  a  bird's-nest,"  when  he 
creeps  along,  quite  unseen,  to  visit  his  home  and 
little  family.  He  is  the  bird  that  Shakspeare  fancied 
went  singing  up  into  the  very  gates  of  heaven ;  the 
minstrel  of  the  sky,  who  makes  all  the  gold  and  sil- 
ver pillars  in  cloud-land  echo  when  he  warbles  in 
his  great  star-roofed  skyey  hall.  This  is  the  bird 
that  sleeps  beside  the  daisies,  and  among  the  gentle 
lambs ;  that  makes  a  nest  in  any  hole  in  the  ground, 
the  print  of  a  horse's  or  bullock's  hoof  serving  as 
well  as  any  thing  else  in  which  to  deposit  the  five 
greenish-white  brown  spotted  eggs.  The  sky-lark 
will  readily  imitate  the  songs  of  other  birds,  and 
also  learn  tunes,  and  in  confinement  sings  during 
half  the  year,  and  may  be  tamed  so  as  to  come  and 
eat  from  the  hand. 


THE   WOOD-LARK. 

"  What  time  the  timorous  hare  trips  forth  to  feed, 
When  the  scared  owl  skims  round  the  grassy  mead, 
Then  high  in  air,  and  poised  upon  his  wings, 
Unseen  the  soft  enamoured  wood-lark  sings." 

THE  WOOD-LARK  is  also  a  beautiful  bird,  and 
resembles  the  sky-lark  in  color,  but  is  smaller.  If 
he  cannot  soar  so  high  nor  sing  so  sweetly  as  the 
sky-lark,  he  can  do  what  the  latter  can't ;  and  that  is, 
either  sit  and  sing  on  the  branch  of  a  tree,  or  have 
a  fly,  and  carry  his  music  along  with  him.  But, 
though  so  partial  to  perching  on  a  branch,  like  the 
sky-lark  he  builds  on  the  ground.  Some  bird-fan- 
ciers say  he  possesses  a  more  musical  and  sonorous 
C62) 


THE   WOOD-LARK.  63 

note  than  most  other  singing-birds ;  but  his  imitative 
faculties  are  not  very  good,  for,  unless  reared  from 
the  nest  near  some  other  birds,  he  will  not  learn  their 
strains.  His  song  is  very  much  prized,  and  ranked 
by  many  amateurs  next  to  the  nightingale's :  he  sings 
far  into  the  night.  This  bird  is  more  easily  tamed 
than  the  sky-lark,  and  appears  more  happy  in  captiv- 
ity. He  is  of  an  affectionate  disposition,  and,  if 
pains  are  taken  to  gain  his  affection,  will  become 
much  attached  to  his  owner;  but  he  is  a  delicate 
bird,  and  dainty  in  appetite,  and  requires  variety  in 
food.  Most  of  the  wood-larks  perch,  therefore  he 
must  have  a  square  perch  put  into  his  cage ;  but,  if 
not  used,  it  should  be  taken  away.  He  must  have  a 
fresh-cut  turf,  if  possible,  once  a  week,  and  plenty  of 
gravel  and  chalk.  It  is  very  rare  that  either  of 
the  larks  will  take  a  bath,  much  preferring — like 
domestic  fowls  —  to  dust  themselves ;  and  for  this 
reason  sand  or  gravel  must  be  used  very  freely,  and 
always  kept  in  the  cage  to  the  depth  of  not  less 
than  half  an  inch.  The  lark  requires  what  is  known 
as  the  lark-cage,  and  will  not  do  well  in  any  other. 
It  is  a  low-priced  cage,  and  can  always  be  purchased 
at  any  bird-store.  The  food  of  the  sky  and  wood 
lark  is  the  same  as  the  American  mocking-bird.  If 
the  bird  is  unwell,  or  becomes  loose,  grate  a  little 
cheese  into  his  food  :  some  licorice  in  his  water  will 
also  be  of  service,  as  likewise  a  spider  occasionally. 


THE   THRUSH. 

But  when  the  morning  broke,  and  the  green  woods 

Were  all  alive  with  birds,  with  what  a  clear 

And  ravishing  sweetness  sang  the  plaintive  thrush  ! 

I  love  to  hear  his  delicate  rich  voice, 

Chanting  through  all  the  gloomy  day,  when  loud 

Amid  the  trees  is  dropping  the  big  rain, 

And  gray  mists  wrap  the  hills  ;  for  aye  the  sweeter 

His  song  is  when  the  day  is  sad  and  dark. 

Longfellow. 

THE  SONG-THRUSH  is  a  most  melodious  singer, 

being  gifted  with  a  more  powerful  tone  than  any  of 

the  feathered   choristers   of   the   European   forest. 

This   speckled   musician  pleases  with  delight,  and 

(64) 


THE   THRUSH.  65 

satisfies,  as  it  were,  the  very  soul  of  the  listener. 
In  the  wild  state  he  sings  only  during  the  spring  ; 
but,  when  caged  and  properly  treated,  will  sing  eight 
or  nine  months  of  the  year,  commencing  about 
December  or  January.  It  is  for  this  reason,  as  well 
as  for  his  beautiful  song,  that  the  thrush  is  so  much 
kept  in  cages,  and  domesticated. 

He  must  have  a  large  cage,  well  strewn  with 
coarse  sand  or  gravel,  and  should  be  well  supplied 
with  water  for  drinking  and  bathing  ;  but  his  bath 
should  be  taken  away  when  used,  as  the  bird  is 
liable  to  cramp.  The  food  and  water  should  be  put 
outside  'of  the  cage,  if  possible.  The  thrush  will 
live  many  years  in  confinement,  if  properly  fed  and 
cared  for.  The  ailment  to  which  he  is  most  subject 
is  constipation.  A  large  spider  is  the  best  remedy ; 
abundance  of  pure  fresh  air,  and  a  change  of  diet, 
should  be  given.  The  male  and  female  are  so  much 
alike  in  color,  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  distinguish 
them  :  the  female  is  a  little  smaller,  and  has  not 
quite  such  a  glossy  brown  plumage  as  the  male  5  so 
that  the  purchaser  of  a  thrush  should  make  sure  of 
the  sex  by  hearing  the  song.  The  male  has  great 
imitative  powers,  and  will  readily  learn  tunes  played 
on  wind  instruments  or  whistled  to  him.  Food 
same  as  preceding. 


THE   BLACKBIRD. 

"  O  blackbird  !  sing  me  something  well : 

While  all  the  neighbors  shoot  thee  round, 
I  keep  smooth  plats  of  fruitful  ground, 
Where  thou  may'st  warble,  eat,  and  dwell." 

Tennyson, 

THE  BLACKBIRD,  whose  plumage  is  of  a  pure  vel- 
vety black,  with  an  orange-yellow  bill,  is  a  fine 
songster.  The  notes,  though  not  so  various  as 
those  of  the  thrush,  still  are  of  a  more  sweet,  flute- 
like  tone.  Besides  this,  he  possesses  the  ability  of 
imitating  airs  which  are  ^histled  to  him :  these  he 
executes  with  great  perfection,  and  is  said  never  to 
forget  a  tune  once  learned.  An  anecdote  is  told  of 


THE    BLACKBIRD.  67 

one  who  had  been  taught  to  whistle  an  air,  which, 
on  hearing  played  with  variations  on  the  piano,  af- 
fronted him  so  exceedingly  that  he  hissed  and  flut- 
tered his  wings  till  the  performance  stopped,  andfc 
then  gave  his  version  of  the  air,  whistling  it  all 
through  as  he  had  learned  it.  The  same  bird  fell 
into  the  hands  of  a  lady  whose  custom  it  was  to 
have  the  Evening  Hymn  sung  at  the  conclusion  of 
family  prayers.  He  caught  the  tune,  and  always 
accompanied  their  voices,  and  from  that  time  regu- 
larly whistled  it  every  evening  at  the  same  hour, 
long  after  he  had  passed  into  another  family,  and 
continued  the  practice  for  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
The  blackbird  will  also  learn  to  imitate  the  songs  of 
other  birds,  the  crowing  of  a  cock,  the  gobble  of  a 
turkey,  and  in  his  wild  state  will  often  mimic  them. 

He  is  very  fond  of  bathing,  and  may  have  a  good 
deep  bath  daily  in  the  sunshine  ;  but  his  cage  should 
not  be  left  wet,  as  he  is  subject  to  cramp  like  the 
thrush :  there  should  be  plenty  of  dry  sand  or 
gravel  on  the  floor. 

He  will  live  in  captivity  from  twelve  to  sixteen 
years,  and  sing  in  a  loud  and  joyous  tone  the  whole 
year,  except  during  the  moulting  season. 

When  in  a  wild  state,  this  bird  sings  only  three 
months  in  the  year  ;  when  caged,  nearly  throughout 
the  year.  His  food  and  treatment  are  the  same  as 
for  the  mocking-bird. 


rm^_ 


ROBIN   REDBREAST. 

"  Good-by,  good-by  to  summer, 
For  summer's  nearly  done  ; 
The  garden  smiling  faintly, 
Cool  breezes  in  the  sun  ; 
The  thrushes  now  are  silent, 
Our  swallows  flown  away, 
But  Robin's  here  in  coat  of  brown, 
&nd  scarlet  breast-knot  gay. 
Robin,  Robin  Redbreast, 

O  Robin  dear  ! 
Robin  sings  so  sweetly 

In  the  falling  of  the  year  !  " 

THE  ENGLISH  ROBIN  REDBREAST.  —  This  bird 
is  very  popular  in  Europe,  particularly  in  England, 
being  lively  and  very  handsome.  He  is  easily 
tamed,  so  as  to  be  let  out  of  his  cage,  and  play 
about  a  room. 

He  has,  by  fearless  conduct,  earned  golden  opin- 
ions from  all  classes  of  men.  Every  nation  seems 
(68) 


ENGLISH    ROBIN. 


69 


to  protect  him.  Even  the  American  redbreast 
lives  unharmed,  possibly  on  account  of  his  connec- 
tion with  his  English  relation,  whose  oft-told  charity 
is  mentioned  in  the  good  old  ballad  of  the  "  Babe? 
in  the  Wood  "  whom  Robin  Redbreast  "  painfully  " 
did  bury  beneath  the  leaves  :  — 

"  Leaves  of  all  hues,  gold,  red,  and  green, 

Ruins  of  summer  bowers  ; 
A  thousand  times  more  beautiful 
Than  all  her  choicest  flowers." 

In  the  winter,  when  the  berries  are  gone,  insects 
dead,  and  the  worms  hidden  under  the  hard-frozen 
soil,  then  the  robin  flies  for  refuge  to  the  habita- 
tions of  man  for  shelter  and  food.  It  is  very  amus' 
ing  to  see  the  half-trusting,  half-fearful  look  with 
which  he  hops  to  the  window-sill  for  the  first  time, 
After  a  while  he  becomes  bold,  and  taps  at  the  win- 
dow, if  the  expected  crumbs  are  not  thrown  out. 
He  possesses  a  sweet  warbling  song,  is  very  fond 
of  bathing,  and  should  therefore  be  daily  provided 
with  a  bath  ;  but,  when  allowed  to  fly  about  a  room, 
care  must  be  taken  not  to  leave  a  pitcher  or  any 
large  vessel  with  water  within  reach,  as  he  is  very 
apt  to  try  to  bathe  in  it,  and  frequently  gets 
drowned.  Being  a  soft-bill  bird,  his  food  is  the 
same  as  the  preceding  birds. 


THE   STARLING. 

THE  STARLING.  —  His  natural  song  is  racher 
poor  ;  but  he  has  a  wonderfully  good  memory.  He 
will  learn  to  repeat  several  airs  that  are  played  to 
him,  with  great  ease  ;  nay,  more  :  he  learns  to  pro- 
nounce words  very  distinctly,  or  imitate  the  song  of 
other  birds,  or  any  sounds  when  repeatedly  heard. 
Besides  this,  he  becomes  very  tame  in  the  house,  so 
as  to  be  let  out  of  the  cage,  and  walk  about  the 
room.  He  soon  knows  ail  the  persons  in  the  house, 
is  always  gay  and  wakeful,  and  as  docile  and  cun- 
ning as  a  dog.  His  food  and  treatment  may  be  the 
same  as  that  of  the  mocking-bird.  He  is  a  very 
hardy  bird,  and  will  sometimes  attain  the  age  of  fif- 
teen years. 


THE   TALKING   MINOR. 

THE  TALKING  MINOR,  or  "  musical  grakle,"  is  a  good 
talking  bird,  and  can  accurately  whistle  in  sweet,  full 
tones  any  song  which  may  be  taught  him.  A  minor 
will  converse  at  any  time,  and  correctly  reply  to  in- 
quiries respecting  his  health  or  feelings  —  though 
sometimes,  if  pressed,  too  closely,  my  own  bird  will 
consign  the  too-inquisitive  person  to  that  proverbially 
hot  country. 

He  is  a  vain  bird,  saying  often,  "  Pretty  minor," 
"  What  a  pretty  minor  !  "  and  replying  to  the  common 
salutation  says,  "  I'm  pretty  well :  how  are  you?  Will 
you  have  a  glass  of  champagne  ?  " 

He  is  about  the  size  of  a  dove ;  and  his  beak,  feet, 
and  legs  are  orange-color.  The  prevailing  hue  of  the 
plumage  is  a  glossy  black,  which  is  tinged  with  purple, 
violet,  and  green,  according  to  the  light  in  which  it 
is  viewed.  The  feathers  on  the  head  are  short  and 
glossy,  and  have  the  appearance  of  satin  velvet.  Be- 
low each  eye  is  a  small  bright  yellow  naked  mem- 
(70 


72  THE  TALKING   MINOR. 

brane ;  and  close  to  these,  but  detached,  another 
extends  from  each  side  to  the  back  of  the  head  and 
down  on  the  neck.  A  white  stripe  in  each  wing,  with 
the  bright  hues  mentioned  above,  combined  with  ele- 
gant form  and  graceful  movements,  make  the  bird  uni- 
versally admired.  He  is  a  native  of  the  East  Indies. 

An  East- Indian  acquaintance  of  mine  used  to  have 
her  children  say  the  Lord's  Prayer  and  the  Apostles' 
Creed  at  a  regular  hour  each  evening ;  but,  whenever 
the  children  were  absent  at  the  usual  hour,  her  minor, 
with  most  devout  tone,  would  commence  with  "  Our 
Father,"  and  repeat  the  prayer  and  the  whole  of  the 
creed. 

The  minor  as  a  talking  bird  is  unsurpassed.  He 
speaks  plainly,  and  can  acquire  and  retain  an  unlimited 
number  of  words,  which  he  readily  forms  into  sen- 
tences. My  own  bird  will  converse  with  me  or  a 
stranger  at  any  time,  and  can. whistle,  in  full,  sweet 
tones,  a  regular  song  which  has  been  taught  him. 
He  flies  about  the  house  friendly  to  all,  including  the 
cat  and  dog.  He  is  fond  of  fruits  and  berries,  which 
are  good  food  for  him ;  and  if  a  ripe  cherry  is  shown 
him  he  cries  for  it.  He  is  fed  daily  on  Holden's  Pre- 
pared Food,  the  same  as  all  soft-bill  birds ;  boiled  egg 
and  boiled  -potato  is  good  for  him,  and,  once  or  twice 
a  week,  lean  raw  beef  chopped  fine  is  beneficial.  He 
is  fond  of  bathing,  and  has  the  tub  daily.  He  is  tough 
and  strong,  and  should  live  in  good  health  caged  very 
many  years.  The  bird  has  been  known  to  live  sev- 
enty-five years.  The  suitable  cage  is  twenty-four  to 
thirty  inches  long  and  about  twenty  inches  high. 


THE   GRAY    PARROT. 

Fie,  silly  bird  ! '  I  answered,    tuck 
Your  head  beneath  your  wing, 

And  go  to  sleep  ; '  but  o'er  and  o'er 
He  asked  the  selfsame  thing. 

Then,  smiling,  to  myself  I  said,  — 
'  How  like  are  men  and  birds  ! 

We  all  are  saying  what  he  says, 
In  action  or  in  words.'  " 


WHITTTER. 

IN  the  parrot  family,  the  African  gray,  with  ashen 
gray  body,  black  bill,  light  gray  face,  and  scarlet  tail, 
takes  high  rank.  Until  the  bird  is  a  year  old  the 
body  plumage  is  a  darker  gray,  and  the  tail  dark  brown, 
excepting  close  to  the  body,  where  the  crimson  shows 
a  little.  The  birds  vary  from  twelve  to  fifteen  inches 

(73) 


74  THE  GRAY  PARROT. 

in  length,  about  the  size  of  a  common  pigeon.  Some- 
times a  bird  has  red  feathers  in  spots  on  the  back  -} 
this  is  known  as  a  "  king "  African,  and  is  highly 
esteemed,  and  commands  a  higher  price,  being  con- 
sidered more  intelligent;  but  I  am  not  certain  that 
the  "  king  "  learns  any  more  than  his  subjects  can. 
West  and  Central  Africa  is  its  home  ;  and  from  there 
these  birds  are  brought  to  America,  either,  via  Eng- 
land in  steamers,  or  direct  in  sailing-vessels,  a  few  of 
which  arrive  at  New  York,  but  most  of  them  arrive 
in  Boston.  The  birds  brought  in  sailing-vessels  are 
preferred,  because  they  get  acclimated  in  the  longer 
trip,  and  have  also  better  care  when  brought  by  the 
captains  themselves,  some  of  whom  have  been  fur- 
nishing me  with  birds  for  over  ten  years,  in  both  cities. 
These  birds  make  excellent  talkers  and  whistlers, 
and  occasionally  learn  to  sing  both  words  and  music 
of  popular  ballads ;  but,  like  children,  they  vary  some 
in  "  mental  activity,"  though  during  my  study  of  the 
subject  of  parrot  training  for  the  past  fifteen  years,  I 
can  truly  say  that  the  teachers'  abilities  vary  much 
more  than  the  pupils',  to  the  latters'  great  disadvantage. 
Parrots  learn  more  readily  in  the  three  hours  next  fol- 
lowing sunrise,  or  the  three  hours  before  sunset,  and 
should  be  taught  verbally  just  as  one  would  teach  a 
child,  line  upon  line,  precept  upon  precept.  I  have 
known  many  children  give  from  six  months  to  a  year 
to  long  division,  and  not  understand  it  very  well  then  ; 
and  it  may  take  the  brightest  parrot  that  time,  or  even 
longer,  to  commit,  "  The  Lord  is  my  Shepherd,"  etc., 
"  Mary  had  a  little,  lamb,"  or  a  list  of  oaths  varied 


THE  GRAY  PARROT.  75 

enough  to  please  alike  the  Quaker,  the  gamin,  and 
the  rector.  In  teaching,  speak  in  clear,  ringing  tones, 
pitched  on  rather  a  high  key.  Babies  learn  to  talk 
some  in  from  twelve  to  eighteen  months ;  parrots 
learn  to  talk  some  in  from  four  to  twelve  months.  I 
have  known  a  gray  to  be  taught  for  twelve  months 
and  not  utter  a  word ;  then  one  morning  he  said, 
"  Hurrah  !  "  and  in  six  months  more  could  speak  fifty 
or  sixty  words  with  elegant  accents,  and  whistle  two 
songs.  If  we  ask  how  talented  a  speaking  bird  may 
become,  the  answer  presents  many  difficulties. 
Brehm,  a  great  authority  on  birds  in  Germany,  gives 
an  account  of  a  gray  parrot,  which  talked  in  three 
languages  as  clearly  as  a  human  being,  and  at  the 
same  time  often  caught  up  forms  of  speech  which  had 
never  been  repeated  to  it,  and  which  it  then  applied 
suitably  to  the  -astonishment  of  all.  He  also  gives 
this  example  of  its  sharpness.  A  fat  major,  whom  it 
knew  well,  one  day  paid  a  visit  to  teach  it  tricks. 
"  Get  up  on  the  stick,  Polly ;  up  on  the  stick  !  "  com- 
manded the  bold  warrior.  The  parrot  was  decidedly 
annoyed.  Then  suddenly  it  laughed  loudly  and  said, 
"  Up  with  you  on  the  stick,  major  !  "  Brehm  describes 
this  as  a  witticism  of  the  bird's,  and  adds,  "  I  cannot 
relate  all  this  parrot  said  and  did  :  it  was  half  human." 
"  I  had  to  wait,"  says  one  owner,  "  fully  eight  months 
before  my  gray  pronounced  one  word ;  but  then  I  was 
richly  rewarded,  for  it  learned  something  new  almost 
every  day,  and  now,  after  four  years,  there  is  scarcely 
any  expression  in  the  daily  conversation  of  the  family 
which  it  has  not  learned  to  repeat ;  and  how  well  it 


76  CAGE  OR  STAND. 

knows  how  to  apply  the  words  !  It  commands  the 
cats  and  the  dogs,  whistling  to  one,  and  coaxing  or 
crying  to  the  other.  If  the  black-cap  is  heard,  it  calls 
at  once,  '  Just  wait,  you  black-cap  ! '  If  the  blackbird 
whistles,  it  exclaims,  '  Be  quiet !  '  It  distinguishes 
between  the  canary's  song  and  that  of  the  red  bird 
and  thrush,  speaking  to  each  as  it  hears  the  song  of 
each." 

If  proper  methods  of  instruction  are  followed,  there 
is  no  imaginary  fixed  line  in  intellectual  progress 
beyond  which  a  parrot  of  ordinary  ability  may  not  go. 

In  teaching  or  training  a  parrot,  let  the  bird  remain 
for  two  weeks  after  purchase,  unnoticed,  further  than 
proper  care  is  concerned  ;  it  will  then  be  less  shy,  and, 
finding  no  harm  is  intended,  will  incline  to  become 
friendly.  It  is  better  not  to  use  any  forcible  means 
for  training,  but  always  be  gentle,  and  avail  yourself 
of  some  knack,  according  to  the  bird's  inclinations. 
Take  away  the  drinking-water  or  coffee  for  some  hours, 
then  hold  it  out  to  the  bird,  and  offer  also  some  tidbit, 
of  which  the  bird  is  fond,  and  thus  the  bird  will  learn 
to  take  food  from  the  hand,  and  will  presently  volun- 
tarily come "  on  the  finger,  allow  its  head  to  be 
scratched,  and  soon  permit  you  to  caress  and  handle 
it  at  will.  Many  trainers  feed  the  bird  bread  or  fruit 
from  the  mouth ;  this  as  a  reward  for  tameness  or 
speaking  is  a  great  incentive  to  progress,  and  birds 
form  warm  attachments  for  any  one  who  thus  feeds 
them. 

CAGE  OR  STAND.  —  This  parrot  should  have  a  cage 
fourteen  or  fifteen  inches  in  diameter,  or  fifteen  to 


FOOD.  77 

twenty-four  inches  long ;  but  larger  ones  can  be  used, 
or  a  stand  of  the  usual  style.  Generally,  parrots  do 
not  talk  as  well  if  allowed  about  a  room,  and  are  apt 
to  find  something  to  eat  which  is  injurious. 

FOOD.  —  The  food  now  very  generally  given  to  all 
parrots  over  four  months  old,  consists  of  a  mixture  of 
equal  parts  of  unhulled  rice,  cracked  corn,  hemp,  and 
sunflower  seeds ;  but  the  effects  of  all  food  should  be 
watched,  and  any  one  of  the  above  which  seems  to 
disagree  with  the  bird  must  of  course  be  withheld. 
Probably  ninety-nine  parrots  in  every  one  hundred 
thrive  on  the  above  mixture.  Give  daily,  if.  eaten,  a 
piece  of  cuttle-bone  the  size  of  a  walnut.  Half  a  dozen 
peanuts  may  be  given  occasionally,  but  no  other  nuts, 
as  they  are  too  rich.  Never  give  any  meat,  bones,  or 
greasy  food  of  any  kind,  as  they  cause  diseases,  and 
ruin  the  plumage.  Dainties  from  the  table  are  usually 
indigestible  and  harmful.  Fruits,  such  as  apples, 
oranges,  bananas,  cherries,  can  be  given,  but  only  those 
proper  for  your  special  bird  should  be  allowed  in 
limited  quantity.  A  vegetable  red-pepper  pod  can  be 
given  every  week  or  so,  and  is  particularly  desirable 
during  the  moulting  season.  A  piece  of  raw  onion, 
half  the  size  of  an  egg,  acts  as  a  good  tonic.  Cracker, 
or  stale  but  good  bread,  soaked  in  coffee,  is  good 
daily ;  but  some  gray  parrots  will  not  take  coffee,  or  it 
may  make  them  nervous,  in  which  case  water  should 
be  used.  Water  causes  some  to  have  diarrhoea,  and 
coffee,  in  that  case,  is  the  better  drink.  Silver  gravel 
in  abundance  should  be  given  fresh  daily  for  eating 
and  bathing.  The  cage  or  stand  should  be  cleansed 


THE  GRAY  PARROT. 


with  water,  or  soap  and  water,  every  third  day,  and 
oftener  if  necessary.  Bathing  in  sand  is  usual,  in 
water  is  unusual,  for  parrots ;  but  water  baths  should 
be  given  according  to  the  health  and  needs  of  the 
bird,  one  to  three  times  a  week,  through  the  year.  Use 
from  a  pint  to  a  quart  of  tepid  water,  in  which  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  borax  has  been  dissolved,  spraying  the 
bird  with  the  coarse  atomizer  which  holds  a  half- pint. 
If  a  teaspoonful  of  wine  is  afterwards  thrown  on  with 
a  small  atomizer,  the  plumage  will  become  glossy  and 
beautiful. 

The  grays,  like  most  of  the  larger  parrots,  sometimes 
live  from  fifty  to  seventy-five,  and  even  one  hundred 
years. 

TABLE    OF    THE    PARROT    FAMILY. 


M 

V 

c 

c 

o  ~ 

s'2 

ti 

*o  •*' 

| 

.&> 

fe» 

^2 

•^ 

>>rt 

D 

T3 

S  « 

5  2 

.a 

i  a 

B 

"c3 

3 

3- 

|Sjj 

§ 

1= 

3 

E2 

Gray    

IO 

IO 

IO 

8 

Mexican  .     . 

10 

9 

10 

5 

8 

9 

51 

Carthagena   . 
Single  H'd    . 

IO 

7 

8 

6 

I 

8 
3 

8 
7 

9 
7 

52 

Amazon    .     . 

8 

8 

5 

3 

8 

8 

4° 

Blue-front     . 

6 

5 

5 

5 

6 

27 

Maracaibo     . 

6 

5 

5 

_ 

4 

8 

28 

Cuban 

6 

6 

6 

_ 

5 

Dwarf.     .     . 

6 

6 

4 

4 

9 

IO 

33 
3° 

Macaw 

7 

5 

5 

IO 

6 

33 

Cockatoo  .     . 

6 

4 

- 

7 

8 

25 

In  the  above  comparative  table,  10  is  the  highest 
figure  under  each  heading,  and  the  total  number  of 
points  is  60. 


A    GREEN    PARROT. 

THERE  are  many  varieties  of  the  green  parrots,  but 
this  article  will  treat  only  of  those  usually  caged  in 
America. 

THE  DOUBLE  YELLOW  HEAD  of  Mexico  is  the 
operatic  star  of  the  parrot  family ;  his  natural  gift  of 
song  is  great,  and  his  voice  is  clear,  sweet,  and  reso- 
nant. There  are  marvellous  stones  of  the  repertoire 
which  some  of  these  Mexicans  are  capable  of  render- 
ing. I  have  owned  birds  of  this  variety,  which  could 
sing  the  words  and  music  of  two,  three,  and  four 
songs,  and  give  each  with  its  best  points,  well 
phrased,  and  in  a  style  that  would  always  "  take  the 
house."  The  Mexican  is  of  a  beautiful  green  through- 
out the  body,  with  a  pale  orange  forehead,  and  scarlet 
and  blue  feathers  in  wings  and  tail ;  his  feet  are 
strong  and  white ;  his  beak  is  white ;  his  tongue 

(79) 


v-  A  GREEN   PARROT. 

may  be  white,  black,  or  mottled.  His  length  is  from 
fourteen  to  sixteen  inches,  being  a  somewhat  longer 
and  thicker  bird  than  the  gray  parrot.  As  the  birds 
get  older,  the  pale  orange  color  of  the  forehead 
deepens,  and  extends  back  over  the  head.  These 
birds  are  not  only  great  singers,  but  free  talkers  as 
well,  learning  many  words  when  taught  for  three 
months  or  so,  and  are  most  amusing  at  times  by  theii 
manner  of  mingling  songs  and  speeches. 

The  grays,  and  these  Mexicans,  are  the  most  enjoy- 
able birds  to  own,  because  most  intelligent  and  teach- 
able. 

Cage,  food,  and  care,  are  the  same  for  the  Mexican, 
as  for  the  gray. 

THE  CARTHAGENA  PARROT  is  from  thirteen  to  fifteen 
inches  long,  being  about  the  size  of  the  Mexican,  and 
has  all  green  plumage,  except  on  the  back  of  the  neck, 
a  pale  orange  marking  about  the  size  of  a  silver  half- 
dollar  ;  and  in  the  wings  and  tail  feathers  red  and 
blue  markings.  This  bird  becomes  quite  a  singer, 
whistles  some,  and  talks  very  well ;  he  is  generally 
next  to  the  Mexican,  and  his  food  and  care  are  the 
same  as  that  bird's. 

THE  SINGLE  YELLOW  HEAD  is  smaller  than  the 
Double  Yellow  Head,  being  from  eleven  to  thirteen 
inches  long,  but  has  the  same  colors  and  markings  as 
that  bird,  except  the  beak  is  dark,  instead  of  flesh 
color,  and  the  narrow  pale-orange  stripe  on  the  fore- 
head does  not  extend  as  the  bird  grows  older.  This 
bird  makes  a  fair  talker,  learning  easily,  but  not  so 
many  sentences  as  those  named  above.  His  food 
and  care  is  the  same. 


DISEASES.  8l 

THE  AMAZON  PARROT  is  a  native  of  the  upper  por- 
tion of  South  America;  he  is  not  quite  as  large  as  the 
Mexican ;  his  light-green  body,  and  brilliant  head- 
dress of  blue  and  yellow,  throat  of  orange  tinged  with 
red,  scarlet-tipped  wings  and  parti-colored  tail,  make 
him  very  attractive.  He  is  an  apt  scholar,  and  easily 
learns  to  talk  and  sing.  Food  as  above. 

THE  BLUE  FRONT  PARROT  is  twelve  or  thirteen 
inches  long,  with  plain  green  body  and  blue  forehead, 
and  slight  red  and  blue  markings  in  the  wings.  He 
becomes  a  fair  talker.  His  food  is  same  as  above. 

THE  MARACAIBO  PARROT  is  ten  or  eleven  inches 
long,  with  green  body,  forehead  well  marked  with 
yellow,  and  wings  having  some  blue,  yellow,  and  red 
markings.  He  looks  like  a  small  edition  of  the  Mexi- 
can, and  sometimes  makes  an  excellent  talker.  His 
food  is  the  same  as  above. 

THE  CUBAN  PARROT  is  ten  to  twelve  inches  long, 
with  green  body,  white  forehead,  scarlet  throat,  and 
scarlet  and  blue  wings.  These  are  usually  imported 
when  three  months  old,  so  they  are  tame,  and  very 
teachable,  becoming  quite  good  English  scholars.  The 
food  is  the  same  as  above. 

DISEASES.  —  If  parrots  are  properly  fed,  and  their 
cages  or  stands  kept  clean,  they  remain  in  good  health 
during  the  long  life  of  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  years. 
The  principal  diseases  afflicting  birds  not  properly 
cared  for  are  as  below.  I  have  written  these  prescrip- 
tions without  seeing  your  particular  patient.  Use  your 
judgment  about  increasing  or  diminishing  the  number 
and  quantity  of  the  doses. 


82  COLD  AND  INDIGESTION. 

COLD.  —  Keep  the  bird  in  a  very  warm  place,  and 
give  a  few  bird  peppers ;  into  a  glass  of  water  put  ten 
drops  of  aconite,  and  every  hour  pour  a  teaspoonful 
down  the  bird's  throat.  Second  remedy :  Clean  the 
bird's  nostrils  with  a  feather  dipped  in  salt  water,  and 
then  moisten  them  with  the  oil  of  almonds.  Rub  the 
beak  and  throat  externally  with  a  solution  of  chlorate 
of  kali  one  part,  and  twenty  parts  of  hot  water ;  let 
the  bird  inhale  tar  vapor,  putting  the  tar  in  a  bottle, 
one  part  of  tar  to  twenty-five  parts  of  hot  water. 

INDIGESTION.  —  Give  a  plain,  light  diet  of  unhulled 
rice,  and  a  few  sunflower  seeds  ;  but  little  green  food  or 
fruit,  some  salt,  and  tepid  drinking  water,  with  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  lime  water  in  it ;  a  teaspoonful  of  warm 
Bordeaux  wine  can  be  poured  down  the  bird's  throat. 

CONSTIPATION.  —  Use  warm  castor-oil  and  olive-oil 
in  equal  parts,  dropping  it  into  the  vent  or  passage 
from  the  head  of  a  pin  ;  after  several  repetitions,  large 
masses  of  excrement  pass  away;  give  a  dose  of  ten 
drops  of  castor-oil,  with  half  a  teaspoonful  of  honey, 
once  or  twice  a  day.  Feed  hemp  and  sunflower  seeds 
in  equal  parts. 

DIARRHOZA.  —  Keep  the  bird  in  a  warm  place,  feed 
unhulled  rice,  and  give  a  half  cracker  soaked  in  brandy, 
on  which  sprinkle  red  pepper.  In  severe  cases,  put 
five  drops  of  paregoric  into  a  teaspoonful  of  boiled 
milk,  and  give  this  full  dose  every  three  hours. 

BLOODY  DIARRHCEA.  —  Give  four  drops  of  laudanum 
in  a  teaspoonful  of  boiled  milk  every  three  hours. 
Give  no  fruit  or  green  stuff,  and  do  not  allow  the  bird 
to  drink  water,  unless  it  has  had  some  tincture  of  iron 
put  into  it. 


DYSENTERY  AND  VOMITING.  83 

DYSENTERY.  —  Treat  as  for  diarrhoea  ;  and  give  also 
one-half  to  one  teaspoonful  of  castor-oil,  with  ten 
drops  of  honey.  The  sticky  feathers  under  the  tail 
should  be  washed  with  warm  water. 

VOMITING,  when  caused  only  by  fright,  or  anxiety, 
or  overeating,  has  but  little  significance ;  but  when 
arising  from  inflammation  of  the  stomach,  and  accom- 
panied by  weakness,  shivering,  loss  of  appetite,  or 
bloody  discharges,  should  be  treated  as  follows  :  Apply 
warm  or  nearly  hot  poultices  of  bread  or  flaxseed  to 
the  belly ;  also  apply  sand  as  warm  as  is  pleasant  to 
the  hand.  Give  teaspoonful  doses  of  a  solution  of 
tannin,  two  parts  to  seventy-five  or  one  hundred  parts 
of  warm  water  two  or  three  times  a  day. 

PULLING  THE  FEATHERS.  —  This  is  caused  usually  by 
improper  food,  too  much  hemp-seed,  meat,  or  bones, 
and  too  close  confinement.  Feed  sunflower  seeds  and 
annulled  rice ;  keep  plenty  of  gravel  in  the  cage,  and 
a  constant  supply  of  wood  for  the  bird  to  gnaw. 
Amuse  the  bird  by  giving  spools  and  a  "  robust "  china 
doll  to  play  with.  Put  a  half-teaspoonful  of  glycerine 
to  a  teacupful  of  tepid  water,  and  spray  the  bird 
thoroughly  six  to  ten  times  daily,  using  the  full  dose 
each  time.  Smear  the  plumage  with  the  tincture  of 
bitter  aloes.  Put  the  bird  into  new  surroundings  to 
occupy  his  attention.  Some  keepers  have  good  results 
by  reducing  the  quantity  of  food  by  degrees,  till  the 
bird  gets  only  a  third  of  its  usual  allowance ;  then  it 
becomes  weakened,  its  blood  being  reduced,  and  leaves 
off  the  habit.  For  further  information  on  diseases 
and  treatment,  consult  Holden's  "  Canaries  and  Cage 
Birds." 


THE  AUSTRALIAN  PAROQUET. 

PAROQUET  is  the  name  generally  given  to  the 
smaller  kinds  of  parrots,  from  which  birds  the  species 
placed  under  this  head  do  not  otherwise  differ  than 
in  size  :  the  term  is  somewhat  arbitrarily  applied,  so 
that  you  will  frequently  have  the  same  bird  called  at 
one  time  a  parrot,  at  another  a  paroquet,  as  might 
be  expected,  there  being  no  exact  boundary  line  to 
divide  the  larger  from  the  lesser  kinds. 


THE   AUSTRALIAN    PAROQUET.  85 

THE  AUSTRALIAN  PAROQUET,  a  very  beautiful  and 
eccentric  bird,  has  but  recently  been  introduced  into 
this  country;  yet  he  possesses  so  many  desirable 
qualifications  that  he  has  at  once  become  a  well- 
known  member  of  the  "  bird  family."  This  bird  is 
a  native  of  the  island  from  whence  the  name  is 
derived  ;  and  in  a  wild  state  leads  a  retired  and 
sequestered  life,  sometimes  alone,  and  again  in 
pairs.  During  mating  season  they  are  found  in 
pairs,  and  in  immense  numbers,  the  male  and  female 
each  singing  to  the  other  incessantly.  As  they  are 
inhabitants  of  the  ground,  where  they  build  their 
nests,  they  are  rarely  found  in  trees.  Their  plumage 
is  a  beautiful  shade  of  green,  with  a  few  brownish  or 
black  feathers  upon  the  back,  and  the  feathers  of 
the  head  a  bright  lemon  color ;  which,  added  to  the 
bright  blue  spots  around  the  head  and  neck,  make 
them  a  beautiful  and  attractive  bird.  They  easily 
become  domesticated  to  cage-life,  and  are  capable 
of  being  taught  many  amusing  tricks.  They  are 
hardy  birds,  and  easily  endure  the  cold  winters  of 
the  north,  the  author  once  having  placed  a  pair 
where  water  froze  to  the  depth  of  an  inch,  and  this, 
too,  without  any  perceptible  injury  to  the  birds. 
They  should  be  fed  wholly  upon  canary-seed,  and 
allowed  frequent  baths.  With  this  treatment  they 
will  continue  in  perfect  health  for  many  years. 


THE   TROOPIAL. 

THE  SOUTH  AMERICAN  TROOPIAL  has  a  beautiful 
rich  plumage,  and  looks  very  much  like  our  Ameri- 
can golden  robin,  or  what  is  known  as  the  Baltimore 
oriole ;  the  chief  difference  being  that  he  is  much 
larger  in  size,  with  the  orange  of  the  body  more  of  a 
yellow.  Few,  if  any,  birds  have  a  natural  song  at 
once  so  sweet  and  powerful  as  this ;  and  none  have 
a  nicer  ear  and  a  more  retentive  memory.  Take  a 
young  male,  and  instruct  him  carefully  by  means  of 
a  flageolet  or  flute,  and  he  will  not  only  repeat  the 
air  played,  but  imitate  the  very  tones  of  the  instru- 
(86) 


THE   TROOPIAL.  87 

ment  with  astonishing  fidelity.  We  have  heard 
troopials  thus  instructed  whose  strain  seemed  to  us 
the  very  perfection  of  melody,  such  as  only  a  skilful 
performer  could  produce  ;  and  such  a  one  as  this  is 
really  a  valuable  bird.  Give  us  the  troopial  with 
the  loud  sweet  song  morning  and  evening,  the  vesper 
and  matin  chants,  and  his  beautiful  plumes  seeming 
veritable  sunbeams  of  the  tropics,  diffusing  light  and 
warmth  around. 

They  are  extremely  active,  and  very  graceful  in 
their  movements,  and  require  a  cage  the  same  size 
that  a  mocking-bird  is  usually  confined  in.  In 
their  wild  state  their  food  consists  of  insects  and 
berries ;  caged,  they  require  the  same  food  and 
treatment  as  the  mocking-bird.  They  may  also  be 
brought  up  without  much  difficulty  upon  white  bread 
soaked  in  milk,  and  raw  lean  meat  scraped  fine,  and 
mixed  with  it.  There  are  few  wild  birds,  which, 
when  confined,  become  so  thoroughly  domesticated 
as  the  troopial.  They  can  be  taught  with  little 
trouble  to  accept  food  from  the  hand,  to  fly  to  and 
perch  upon  the  one  who  regularly  attends  to  their 
daily  requirements  ;  while  their  extreme  docility  is  a 
fact  proven  beyond  a  doubt. 


THE  BRAZILIAN   CARDINAL. 

THE  BRAZILIAN  CARDINAL  is  one  of  the  beautiful 
whistling  birds  of  the  tropics,  and  is  justly  admired 
as  a  cage-bird.  The  back  is  dark  gray,  the  quill- 
feathers  of  the  wings  are  of  a  darker  shade  of  the 
same  color,  and  the  tail  is  nearly  black ;  the  head, 
crest,  cheeks,  and  throat  are  bright  red  of  an  orange 
hue,  deepest  on  the  chest,  where  it  ends  in  a  point ; 
the  lower  part  of  the  body  is  grayish  white,  and  the 
feet  and  legs  are  black  ;  the  strong  beak  is  dusky 
gray ;  the  crest  is  pointed  like  that  of  the  Virginia 
nightingale,  and  is  raised  and  depressed  at  pleasure. 
His  brilliant  scarlet  head  forms  a  beautiful  contrast 
with  the  snowy  white  of  his  body.  In  addition  to 
his  beautiful  plumage,  he  is  also  gifted  with  powers 
of  song.  If  fed  upon  unhulled  rice  and  canary-seed, 
and  given  plenty  of  bathing  water,  he  will  live  many 
years  in  confinement. 

(88) 


THE  JAVA   SPARROW. 

THE  JAVA  SPARROW  takes  his  name  from  the  Java 
Islands,  where  they  abound  in  immense  numbers. 
Their  chief  recommendation  is  the  great  neatness 
and  beauty  of  plumage  ;  their  glossy  black  head,  with 
clear  white  cheeks,  and  delicate  rose-colored  bill, 
that  looks  like  a  piece  of  wax-work,  and  their  light- 
slate  or  almost  ashen-gray  body,  forming  one  of  the 
richest  combinations  of  colors ;  the  plumage  being 
so  neat  and  smooth  that  the  feathers  all  seem  to  fit 
into  each  other ;  and  all  appear  covered  with  bloom 


QO  THE   JAVA    SPARROW. 

like  that  upon  plums.  They  are  very  affectionate 
birds,  and  happy  in  confinement;  and  occasionally 
one  is  seen  that  can  in  reality  be  called  a  bird  of 
song.  They  can  be  taught  a  variety  of  amusing 
tricks  ;  and,  perhaps  more  than  any  other  caged  bird, 
will  perform  their  tricks  at  command,  with  the  seem- 
ing fear  of  a  child.  The  pairs  are  much  attached  to 
each  other,  and  are  continually  dressing  each  other's 
feathers.  They  are  generally  fed  upon  canary  and 
millet  seed,  but  in  a  wild  state  live  chiefly  on  rice. 
At  a  bird  exhibition  at  Crystal  Palace,  London,  a 
few  years  since,  a  pair  of  Java  sparrows  were  exhib- 
ited, entirely  white,  with  the  black  head  and  throat 
and  rose-colored  beak  of  the  gray  Java  sparrow,  a.nd 
with  the  plumage  equally  soft  and  downy  ••  and  I  was 
told  that  they  were  most  beautiful  birds. 


THE  MOCKING  BIRD. 

THE  AMERICAN  MOCKING-BIRD.  —  This  unrivalled 
songster,  though  he  may  not  possess  the  melodious 
sweetness  of  the  nightingale  and  lark,  or  the  beau- 
tiful pipe  of  the  blackbird,  yet  in  himself  he  unites 
all  the  excellences  to  a  greater  extent  than  any 
other  living  bird.  Who,  on  passing  through  the 
streets  of  any  large  city  on  a  bright  night  in  June, 
has  not  heard  the  shrill  scream  of  the  eagle,  the 
mourning  note  of  the  turtle-dove,  the  delicate 
warble  of  the  blue-bird,  the  cackling  of  the  domes- 
tic hen,  followed  by  the  quarrelling  of  a  dozen  or 
more  grimalkins,  each  seeming  to  vie  with  the  other 
as  to  the  quantity  of  noise  ;  then  the  cry  of  the 
(90 


92  MOCKING-BIRD    POOD. 

katydid,  the  mellow  whistle  of  the  cardinal,  the 
grunt  of  the  maternal  porker  searching  for  her 
juveniles,  the  creaking  of  some  rusty  swing-sign- 
board, the  pipe  of  the  canary,  and  the  cry  of  some 
lost  puppy  wailing  in  the  midnight  air,  and  each 
succeeding  the  other  with  such  rapidity,  that  the 
listener  wonders  if  such  a  variety  can  come  from 
so  small  an  object.  All  this  the  mocking-bird  is 
capable  of.  The  mocking-bird  is  a  general  favorite, 
and  deserves  to  be  attentively  cared  for.  He  is 
particular,  and  should  be  fed  and  watered  at  the 
same  time  every  day.  His  cage  should  be  large,  and 
kept  very  clean,  with  plenty  of  gravel.  His  food 
should  be 

OUR  PREPARED  FOOD.  —  It  is  for  mocking-birds 
and  all  long-bill  or  soft-bill  birds ;  has  been  used  for 
a  great  many  years,  and  -is  pronounced  best.  It  is 
in  bottles  all  ready  for  use  ;  in  the  boxes  it  requires 
the  addition  of  equal  quantity  of  grated  raw  car- 
rot. The  box-food  lasts  longer,  and  so  is  cheaper. 
A  good  way  is  to  feed  the  two  kinds  alternately.  A 
few  ant's  eggs,  soaked  and  mixed  with  the  food,  is 
very  beneficial.  They  can  be  had  of  us.  A  little 
sweet-apple  grated  up  with  the  food  gives  it  a  fine 
flavor,  and  often  restores  the  appetite  when  it  is  poor 
during  moulting,  and  hot  weather.  During  moult- 
ing, add  ants'  eggs  and  meal-worms  to  food,  daily. 

A  SUPPLY  of  INSECTS  should  be  gathered  during 
the  proper  season,  such  as  flies,  grasshoppers,  spi- 
ders, &c.,  and  put  loosely  in  a  paper  bag,  and  hung 
ap  to  dry  ;  and,  when  used  in  winter,  they  should 


MOCKING-BIRD    FOOD.  93 

have  boiling  water  poured  over  them,  wh  ch  will 
soften  them,  and  make  them  as  palatable  as  if  they 
were  still  alive.  A  grasshopper  thus  prepared  is  a 
Thanksgiving  dinner  to  your  bird.  Zante  currants, 
the  same  as  used  for  cake,  washed  clean,  soaked 
over  night,  and  wiped  dry,  also  make  a  dainty 
morsel.  Give  any  fruits  or  berries. 

MEAL-WORMS  give  a  bird  a  great  deal  of  life,  and, 
being  the  richest  of  food,  should  only  be  given 
occasionally,  say  two  or  three  worm;  daily.  Every 
owner  of  a  soft-bill  bird  should  raise  a  stock  of 
meal-worms.  The  process  is  very  simple,  and  con 
sists  in  first  taking  an  old  box  or  jar,  and  placing 
therein  a  quantity  of  bran  or  meal,  —  in  fact,  any  fari- 
naceous meal,  —  a  few  biscuit  or  part  of  a  loaf  of 
bread,  a  few  pieces  of  leather  from  an  old,  worn-out 
boot  or  shoe,  and  some  woollen  rags ;  place  therein 
a  few  meal-worms,  —  say  fifty,  —  and  then  cover  the 
opening  tightly  with  a  thick  cloth.  If  this  cloth  is 
moistened  with  water  occasionally,  they  will  breed 
faster  ;  and,  if  not  disturbed,  at  the  expiration  of  from 
four  to  six  months,  you  will  have  thousands. 

MOCKING-BIRDS  HAVE  DISEASES.  —  Should  your 
bird's  feathers  stand  loosely  all  over,  and  he  stiii 
seem  healthful,  give  him  cooling  food  only.  Should 
your  bird  be  dumpish  and  stupid,  a  few  spiders  will 
usually  cure  him.  Should  he  refuse  to  eat,  examine 
his  tongue,  and  you  probably  will  find  on  it  a  horny 
scale :  this  must  be  removed  with  great  care,  as,  if 
allowed  to  remain,  your  bird  will  surely  die.  To 
remove  this  scale,  hold  the  bird  on  his  back  firmly 


94  MOCKING-BIRD    DISEASES. 

wrifh  one  hand,  and,  with  the  finger-nail  of  the  othei 
hand,  gently  peel  this  scale  from  the  tongue.  Care- 
fully watch  the  bird's  droppings,  and  immediately 
apply  the  cure  for  illness. 

DIARRHOEA  is  CURED  by  a  very  rusty  nail  placed 
in  his  drinking-cup,  and  the  reverse  by  insect  food, 
01  water  with  a  few  ants'  eggs  soaked  in  it.  Blind- 
ness is  not  to  be  cured ;  and  the  bird  thus  attacked 
will  shortly  die,  its  spirit  being  broken  by  the  illness. 

During  the  month  of  May,  sometimes  eaiiier,  all 
birds  have  what  is  called  the 

MATING  FEVER.  —  They  grow  melancholy,  allow 
their  feathers  to  grow  rough,  cease  to  "  plume 
themselves  "  before  retiring,  waste  away,  and  die. 
All  lovers  of  birds  must  have  observed  that,  a  bird 
never  goes  to  sleep  without  arranging,  just  before 
dark,  every  feather.  The  uniformity  and  tedious 
ness  of  a  bird's  life,  confined  in  a  cage,  that  was 
not  bred  in  one,  is  the  cause  of  this  mating-fever. 
They  have  an  ungratified  sensual  desire.  In  many 
instances  they  forget  their  inclination  for  freedom 
and  a  mate,  by  simply  changing  tTie  cage,  and  hang- 
ing near  a  window,  where  their  time  will  be  taken 
up  in  watching  new  surroundings. 

MOCKING- BIRD  LICE  are  a  great  annoyance  to  a 
bird,  and  should  be  gotten  rid  of.  This  is  best 
done  by  placing  the  bird  in  another  perfectly  clean 
cage ;  then  steep  some  fine-cut  chewing  tobacco  in 
water,  and,  with  a  very  weak  solution,  wash  the  bird 
very  thoroughly,  particularly  under  the  wings ;  then 
place  a  white  cloth  or  towel  on  top  of  the  cage, 


BIRD-LICE    AND    IMPROPER    FOOD.  95 

and  they  will  crawl  up,  and  in  a  few  days  you  will 
be  rid  of  them.  Clean  your  cage  very  thoroughly 
before  you  replace  your  bird  therein ;  and,  with 
proper  attention  to  cleanliness,  you  will  not  again 
be  troubled  with  them. 

Experience  has  taught  us  that  nine-tenths  of  the 
ailments  of  birds  are  caused  by  improper  feeding. 
Bits  of  sugar,  candy,  daily  green  food,  grapes,  meat 
from  the  table,  —  all  are  bad  for  any  bird.  Birds  need 
plain  food,  regularly  given.  Seed-birds  require  seed 
free  from  dust ;  other  birds,  food  mixed  daily  in 
clean  vessels.  A  bath  should  be  given  the  mocking- 
bird daily  ;  and  the  vessel  should  be  removed  from  the 
cage  when  the  bird  has  bathed.  You  can  soon 
teach  any  bird  to  bathe  directly  when  you  give  him 
his  bath,  if  you  give  it  to  him  at  the  same  hour  each 
day.  If  irregular  yourself,  the  bird  will  contract  the 
same  habit. 

These  remarks  on  the  mocking-bird  will  also  apply 
to  the  thrush,  starling,  lark,  nightingale,  robin,  black 
cap,  and,  in  fact,  all  the  family  of  soft-bill  birds, 
[n  doctoring  your  sick  bird,  ascertain  as  nearly  as 
possible  what  his  complaint  is,  and  apply  the  rem 
edy  ;  if  it  does  not  succeed,  try  another.  Birds  have 
been  known  to  be  at  the  point  of  death  with  cos 
dveness,  when  a  small  spider  has  been  forced  down 
their  throats,  and  a  large  knitting-needle,  dipped 
into  oil,  inserted  into  the  passage  as  an  injection, 
and  the  bird  caused  to  fly  a  few  feet,  when  imme 
diate  relief  followed,  and  in  a  few  hours  the  bird 
was  again  in  song. 


THE    GROSBEAK. 

THE  ROSE-BREASTED  GROSBEAK,  though  a  very 
elegant  bird,  is  but  little  known ;  yet  few  of  our 
domestic  birds  much  surpass  him  in  sweetness  of 
song,  or  beauty  of  plumage.  He  sings  by  night  as 
well  as  by  day,  and  the  notes  are  very  clear  and  mel- 
low. His  great  rarity  accounts  for  the  fact  that  he 
is  so  seldom  seen  caged  ;  yet  no  bird  can  be  more 
highly  prized ;  the  bright  carmine  breast,  and  deep 
black  and  snowy  white  body,  forming  such  a  rich 
contrast.  Caged,  he  becomes  very  tame  in  a  short 
space  of  time,  and,  being  well  contented  in  confine- 
ment, lives  many  years.  He  usually  keeps  in  the 
best  of  health  if  fed  upon  nothing  but  canary-seed. 
If  hemp  or  unhulled  rice  (unless  necessary)  is  fed, 
he  will  eat  until  it  is  with  difficulty  that  he  can  move 
from  the  bottom  of  the  cage. 

(96) 


THE   VIRGINIA    NIGHTINGALE. 

"  Give  me  but 

Something  whereunto  I  may  bind  my  heart, 
Something  to  love,  to  rest  upon,  to  clasp 
Affection's  tendrils  round." 

Mrs.  Hemans. 

THE  VIRGINIA  NIGHTINGALE,  sometimes  called  the 
Virginia  red-bird,  sometimes  the  cardinal,  is  a  native 
of  the  Southern  States,  and  one  of  the  handsomest 
birds  of  the  New  World.  His  color  is  of  a  brilliant 
red,  with  the  exception  of  the  throat  and  the  part 
round  the  beak,  which  are  black.  The  head  is  orna- 
mented with  a  tuft,  which  he  is  capable  of  raising, 
giving  a  very  commanding  appearance.  Together 


98  VIRGINIA    NIGHTINGALE. 

with  his  beautiful  plumage,  this  bird  is  gifted  with  a 
very  sweet,  pleasing  song,  or  rather  whistle,  which 
sounds  almost  like  the  playing  of  a  flageolet,  being 
very  pleasant  to  the  ear.  He  is  very  hardy,  and 
easily  taken  care  of.  He  is  also  very  tender-hearted, 
and  kind  in  feeding  young  birds  even  of  a  different 
species,  when  placed  in  the  same  cage.  One  belong- 
ing to  an  old  woman  at  Washington  earned  for  his 
mistress  a  large  sum  of  money  by  rearing  a  number 
of  young  birds  of  other  species  placed  under  his 
charge.  He  should  be  fed  with  a  mixture  of  canary 
and  hemp  seed,  and  rough  (unhulled)  rice,  to  which 
may  be  added  a  little  fresh  green  food,  or  a  piece  of 
apple  occasionally.  When  properly  treated,  this 
bird  often  attains  the  age  of  fifteen  years  ;  though  he 
will  fade  away  from  the  beautiful  scarlet  to  a  delicate 
shade  of  pink.  A  lady  who  has  had  a  pet  Virginia 
nightingale  for  some  years  says  he  is  still  in  the 
highest  health  and  beauty;  she  feeds  him  upon 
canary-seed,  giving  him  a  few  hemp-seeds,  four  or 
five  meal-worms,  or  spiders,  grubs,  or  caterpillars 
every  day.  He  is  fond  of  Spanish  nuts,  almonds, 
walnuts,  and  Indian  corn,  but  cannot  crack  the  nuts. 
A  piece  of  salt  and  a  lump  of  chalk  are  always  kept 
in  his  cage,  and  she  gives  him  opportunity  for  a  daily 
bath.  The  salt  causes  the  bird  to  retain  his  bril- 
liancy, and  the  chalk  keeps  him  regular. 


THE    BOBOLINK. 

THE  BOBOLINK  received  his  name  from  a  peculiar 
song  of  his  own,  in  which  he  expresses  very  dis- 
tinctly the  words  "  bob-o-link  "  several  times  in  suc- 
cession. They  are  found  all  over  the  United  States 
in  the  summer  season,  in  great  numbers,  but  migrate 
southerly  when  cold  weather  approaches.  Their 
song  is  a  confused,  merry  jingle  of  notes,  of  about 
the  quality  of  the  canary,  but  without  any  method 
whatever.  They  are  easily  domesticated  to  cage-life, 
and,  when  fed  on  nothing  but  canary-seed  (no  hemp), 
will  sing  about  eight  months  of  the  year.  They  are 
hardy,  and  will  live  many  years.  The  author  owned 
one  that  was  sent  to  the  World's  Fair  in  1851,  and, 
after  taking  the  first  prize  in  Europe,  came  safely 
back  to  America. 

(99>) 


THE    AMERICAN    LINNET. 

THE  RED  LINNET,  a  beautiful  singing,  or  we  might 
say  whistling  bird,  is  one  that  should  be  as  univer- 
sally kept  as  the  canary.  His  song  is  equally  as 
sweet ;  and  he  will  sing  for  ten  months  of  the  year, 
or  the  whole  season,  excepting  during  the  time  of 
moulting.  The  song  consists  of  a  variety  of  low, 
sweet-sounding  notes,  which  are  never  harsh  to  the 
ear ;  and  if  kept  near  other  birds,  the  power  of  imi- 
tation being  very  good,  he  will  soon  add  many  beauti- 
ful notes  to  the  already  sweet  song.  In  confinement 
he  becomes  very  tame,  and,  if  fed  sparingly,  will  live 
a  number  of  years.  He  should  be  fed  exclusively  on 
rape  and  canary  seed,  and,  at  times,  a  short  allowance 
of  that.  If  hemp-seed  is  fed,  very  soon  he  has  a 
giddiness  followed  by  epilepsy,  and  shortly  after  by 
death.  He  is  fond  of  bathing,  of  two  kinds ;  first, 
like  the  sky-lark,  in  plenty  of  gravel,  and  second,  in 
water ;  and  a  bath  must  be  given  daily. 

(100) 


THE    AMERICAN   YELLOW-BIRD. 

"  Blooming  trees,  and  bubbling  springs  ! 
Bless  me,  how  that  wild-bird  sings  !  " 

THE  AMERICAN  YELLOW-BIRD,  or  what  in  reality 
is  the  American  goldfinch,  is  a  beautiful  lemon- 
colored  bird  with  a  black  cap  and  black  and  white 
wings,  and  has  always  been  a  favorite  with  every- 
body. He  is  a  pretty  thing  to  look  at,  and  has  many 
graceful  attitudes  when  jumping  about  in  a  cage  ;  or, 
as  we  once  heard  a  countrywoman  say,  who  was  a 
great  lover  of  birds,  "  He  has  such  a  many  winning 
ways  with  him,  that  one  can't  help  liking  him,  if 
even  we  try."  Then  to  say  nothing  of  his  singing, 
although  that  is  very  pleasant  to  listen  to,  —  a  little 
deficient  in  variety  perhaps,  not  so  quick  in  picking 
up  tunes  as  a  few  other  birds,  —  still  he  can  do  no 
end  of  things  which  better  singers  cannot  do  ;  and, 
in  a  wild  state,  his  song  has  a  brisk,  cheerful,  heart- 
stirring  ring.  Thousands  are  caught  every  season 
by  means  of  trap-cages,  using  almost  any  bird  for  a 
decoy.  If  fed  upon  maw,  millet,  and  a  little  canary- 
seed  (the  two  latter  should  be  soaked  a  little),  and 
otherwise  treated  as  a  canary,  he  has  been  known  to 
live  ten  years  in  confinement. 


THE    NONPAREIL. 

"  A  merry  welcome  to  thee,  glittering  bird  ! 

Lover  of  summer  flowers  and  sunny  things  ! 
A  night  hath  passed  since  my  young  buds  have  heard 

The  music  of  thy  rainbow-colored  wings,  — 
Wings,  that  flash  sparkles  out  where'er  they  quiver, 
Like  sudden  sunlight  rushing  o'er  a  river." 

THE  NONPAREIL  is  what  his  name  indicates,  — 
"  without  an  equal ; "  being  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
cage-birds,  and  needs  only  to  be  seen  to  be  admired. 
He  is  called  by  many  authors  the  "  painted  finch  " 
or  "  painted  bunting,"  and  is  also  spoken  of  by 
Buffon  as  "the  pope,"  on  account  of  his  beautiful 
violet  hood.  I  have  a  beautiful  specimen  of  the 
bird,  which  at  the  present  moment  has  a  violet  head 

(102) 


THE    NONPAREIL.  103 

and  neck,  a  red  circle  round  the  eyes,  the  iris  brown, 
the  beak  and  feet  brown,  the  upper  part  of  the  back 
yellowish-green,  the  lower  part  of  the  back,  and  the 
throat,  chest,  and  whole  under  part  of  the  body,  as 
well  as  the  upper  tail-coverts,  of  a  bright  red ;  the 
wing-coverts  are  green,  the  quills  reddish-brown 
tinged  with  green ;  the  tail  is  reddish-brown.  He  is 
about  the  size  of  the  English  robin,  and  very  much 
resembles  that  bird  in  his  attitudes  and  character- 
istics ;  and  his  song,  though  not  powerful,  is  very 
agreeable.  He  is  fed  upon  canary  and  millet  seed, 
and  is  exceedingly  fond  of  flies  and  spiders,  which  he 
ought  to  have  to  keep  him  in  health.  If  I  offer  him 
one,  he  darts  across  the  cage  to  seize  it,  and  takes  it 
from  my  hand  fearlessly ;  and,  when  allowed  to  fly 
about  the  room,  will  catch  flies  for  himself,  either 
pouncing  upon  them  in  the  window,  or  taking  them 
on  the  wing  in  the  course  of  a  rapid  dash  across  the 
room.  He  is  a  sociable  bird,  and  very  inquisitive, 
hopping  about  on  the  table,  and  examining  every- 
thing he  sees  ;  and,  when  tired  of  his  sudden  flights 
about  the  room,  will  go  to  a  vase  of  flowers  placed 
before  a  mirror,  and  warble  away  to  his  image  re- 
flected in  the  glass.  This  bird  is  very  fond  of  bath- 
ing, and  should  therefore  be  daily  provided  with  a 
bath  ;  but,  when  allowed  to  fly  about  a  room,  care 
must  be  taken  not  to  leave  a  pitcher,  or  any  large 
vessel  with  water,  within  his  reach,  as  he  is  very  apt 
to  attempt  to  bathe,  and  might  get  drowned. 


THE  JAPANESE  ROBIN. 

THE  JAPANESE  -ROBIN.  Perhaps,  not  the  least 
among  the  beauties  and  pleasures  which  our  present 
commercial  relations  with  the  empire  of  Japan 
afford,  are  the  gorgeous  plumage,  elegant  songsters, 
so  quickly  introducing  themselves,  and  so  completely 
charming  us.  The  Japanese  have  reduced  the 
breeding  of  birds  to  a  science  ;  so  that  one  may 
take  any  color  or  even  shade  to  a  bird-breeder,  and 
in  a  short  space  he  will  show  you  a  fledgling  of 
just  the  desired  hue.  But  the  natural  colors  of 
the  robin  far  surpass  those  which  can  be  obtained 
by  domestic  breeding  in  cages.  "  The  head  of  the 
robin  is  a  bronze-green ;  beak  yellow  ;  body  the  color 
of  a  mourning  dove ;  eyes  black,  with  a  circlet  of 
white  ;  throat  £cru  tint  of  yellow,  shading  on  the 
breast  into  orange  ;  wing-feathers  black,  with  parti- 
colored stripes  of  gold  and  white  ;  and  tail-feathers 
glossy  black,  barred  with  white  so  clear,  that  the 
bird  looks  as  if  he  had  just  been  out  in  an  April 
(104) 


THE    JAPANESE    ROBIN.  10$ 

flurry  of  snow."  For  this  description  of  colors  we 
are  indebted  to  Mrs.  Dr.  G.  Kimball  of  Lowell, 
Mass. 

In  size,  the  bird  is  similar  to  a  bulfinch  ;  has  an 
eye  large,  mild,  and  genial,  and  every  movement  is 
graceful  and  sprightly.  In  such  a  Venus  of  shape 
and  beauty,  we  usually  expect  little  or  no  music  ; 
but  listen  !  he  utters  a  low  prelude.  You  whistle  a 
responsive  call,  which  he  never  fails  to  answer  ;  and 
as  the  sun  now  rises,  and  its  rays  gleam  on  his  square, 
golden  palace,  his  full,  strong  melody  surprises  you. 
On,  on  he  sings.  Now  you  are  delighted ;  then  rap- 
ture follows  delight,  as  trill  and  warble  and  merry 
run  follow  in  quick  succession. 

His  voice  compasses  all  the  notes  and  semi-tones 
contained  between  the  low  contralto  and  high  tenor. 
Every  day  he  delights  with  new  and  surprising  com- 
binations, as  well  as  notes  totally  different  from  any 
before  uttered.  Some  day  from  the  porch  he  hears 
a  wild  bird's  tender  song  or  delicate  trill,  and 
forthwith  makes  it  his  own,  and  yours  too  in  pay- 
ment for  a  little  care  and  petting.  He  whistles 
every  month  in  the  year. 

Though  not  reared  in  a  cage,  he  is  tame  and 
teachable,  never  quarrels  nor  complains,  eats  with 
keen  relish  the  prepared  bird-food,  and  occasionally 
wants  a  few  meal-worms  or  ant's  eggs.  Being  very 
hardy  he  has  few  diseases.  Carrot  grated  and 
mixed  with  his  food  once  or  twice  a  week,  keeps  him 
in  good  health  and  song  throughout  the  year.  His 
cage  should  be  square,  about  medium  size. 


DIAMOND  SPARROW.       CUT-THROAT  SPARROW 

"The  birds  around  me  hopped  and  played  : 

Their  thoughts  I  cannot  measure  ;  — 
But  the  least  motion  which  they  made, 
It  seemed  a  thrill  of  pleasure." 

WORDSWORTH. 

DIAMONDS,  emeralds,  and  sapphires  are  beautiful 
gems ;  but  the  living  gems,  the  beautiful  little  crea- 
tures known  as  finches,  far  outshine  them.  I  can 
never  forget  the  day  that  I  first  saw  these  darlings. 
America  is  the  home  of  the  humming  bird  and  lovely 
nonpareil ;  Europe  sends  us  her  loved  songsters  :  but 
to  Africa,  India,  Asia,  Australia,  and  Japan  are  we 
indebted  for  the  dear,  sweet,  lovely,  little  creatures, 
marvels  of  beauty  that  they  are,  known  under  the 
name,  somewhat  arbitrarily  applied,  of  African 
finches,  and  Japanese  nuns. 
(106) 


AFRICAN    FINCHES.  l°? 

"  Caged  at  my  window  the  little  birds  sing, 
Wild  with  delight  at  the  coming  of  spring." 

Among  the  various  colors  we  have  the  ashen  gray, 
turquoise  blue,  crimson,  ruby,  emerald  green,  mal- 
tese,  the  rich  reddish  brown,  the  wine  color,  the 
cinnamon  and  white,  invisible  green,  and  black  and 
white,  the  orange  and  slate,  the  delicate  fawn  ;  in 
fact,  colors  of  every  conceivable  hue,  many  of  them 
shaded  with  a  darker  color  of  the  same,  giving  the 
effect  to  the  plumage  of  scallop  shells,  laid  one  over 
the  other.  Added  to  these  you  have  the  little  white 
Chinese  finch,  the  coal  black  Cuba  finch,  the  coral 
red  finch  ;  and  among  them  ail  you  have  the  neutral 
tints  of  every  color. 

"  To  charm  the  sense,  and  soothe  the  pensive  heart, 
And  bid  sweet  dreams  and  gentlest  fancies  start." 

These  finches  are  thoroughly  happy  in  each 
other's  society,  and  sit  all  together  in  a  row,  packed 
as  closely  as  possible,  caressing  and  pluming  each 
other.  If  you  place  a  small  box  or  nest  in  the  cage, 
and  supply  them  with  cotton-batting,  thread,  or 
horse-hair,  they  will  make  a  charming  little  nes"t, 
which,  if  the  weather  be  cool,  several  will  occupy, 
"  cuddling "  closely  together,  often  sleeping  for 
hours. 

The  pleasure  to  be  derived  from  watching  the 
little  creatures  is  certainly  very  great.  Most  of 
them  are  the  sweetest  songsters  ;  and  it  seems  at 


108  AFRICAN    FINCHES. 

times,  as  if  there  certainly  was  a  singing  school,  and 
each  was  striving  to  see  how  long  he  could  sing,  and 
how  great  a  variety  of  notes  he  could  utter. 

Those  who  are  confined  to  the  house  can  profit- 
ably spend  days  and  weeks  in  familiarizing  them- 
selves with  this,  the  most  interesting  branch  of 
natural  history.  And  the  price  has  now  become 
so  reasonable  that  all  who  have  the  taste  —  and 
who  has  not  ?  —  can  have  it  gratified.  A  ten-dollar 
bill  will  purchase  a  brass  cage,  and  four  or  five  small 
birds  or  finches.  Before  America  was  blessed  with  an 
assortment  of  these  pets,  our  own  loved  poet,  Bryant, 
wrote,  — 


"  And  thou  wert  still  a  hope,  a  love ; 
Still  longed  for,  never  seen." 


During  the  past  five  years  there  has  been  a  per- 
fect revolution  in  the  bird  trade ;  and  Bryant's  wish 
has  been  more  than  realized,  for  at  any  well-kept 
bird  store  large  family  cages  can  be  seen,  and  their 
occupants,  — 

"  Birds  from  every  clime." 

Among  the  various  finches  we  will  describe  such 
ones  as  are  usually  first  selected. 


ST.  HELENA  WAXBILL.      AVADAVAT. 

"  These  musicians  excel  in  their  wonderful  art : 

They  have  compass  of  voice,  and  the  gamut  by  heart." 

THE  AVADAVAT.  —  This  little  well-known  beauty 
comes  to  us  in  great  numbers.  They  are  natives  of 
China,  Asia,  Africa,  and  India.  Their  plumage  is 
beautiful ;  and,  unlike  most  other  birds,  they  change 
plumage  yearly  until  the  third  year.  At  this  time, 
the  head  and  under  part  of  the  body  are  a  fiery  red 
tinged  with  black,  the  back  brown,  tail  black,  wings 
a  reddish  brown  ;  all  the  feathers  are  tipped  with 
white,  giving  the  bird  the  appearance  of  being 
speckled  with  white  spots ;  beak  red,  the  upper 
mandible  on  the  top  being  almost  black. 

"  A  little  bird  sang  on  the  tree  ; 
His  song  was  joyous,  glad,  and  gay." 

THE  GRAY-BLUE  FINCH. — This  bird  has  a  song 
that   seems   a  mixture    of  the    canaries'    and  bobo- 
(109) 


THE    ORANGE-CHEEK    WAXBILL. 
I IO 

links',  but  very  much  finer  than  either  of  these  much- 
admired  birds. 

"  Sounds,  and  sweet  airs,  that  give  delight." 

He  will  mate  and  rear  his  young  in  the  aviary,  ad- 
hering to  the  tropical  spring  month, —  November, 
—  raising  beautiful  young  birds  in  our  mid-winter. 

THE  SILVER-BILL,  or  Quaker  bird,  has  a  pretty 
warbling  song,  and  will  often  dance  upon  the  perch, 
as  if  keeping  time  to  his  melody.  When  kept  in 
couples,  they  are  very  affectionate,  and  devote  the 
greater  part  of  their  time  to  caressing  each  other. 

"  And  hear  the  sound  of  music  sweet, 
From  birds  among  the  bowers." 

THE  ORANGE  -  CHEEK  WAXBILL  is  a  beautiful, 
smooth  little  bird,  always  as  neat  as  possible,  with 
every  feather  in  its  place,  vermilion  beak,  gray  head, 
neck  and  throat  brown. 

THE  ZEBRA,  or  orange  -  breast  waxbill,  is  quite 
small,  but  very  pleasing ;  and,  as  he  is  scarcely 
three  inches  long,  he  is  considered  desirable. 

THE  CHESTNUT  FINCH  is  another  choice  bird,  and 
one  which  will  speedily  become  a  favorite.  The 
whole  body  is  of  a  rich  chestnut-brown,  both  above 
and  below  ;  the  upper  and  under  tail  coverts  white, 
and  the  tail  black. 

THE  MAGPIE  FINCH  is  one  of  the  little  beauties 
with  a  bottle-green  head,  brownish  back,  white 


JAPANESE    NUN.  Ill 

throat   and   breast,   always   neat   and   trim,   and   a 
songster. 

"  From  perch  to  perch  the  magpie  hops, 
And  chirrups  as  he  flies." 

NUNS,  both  black  and  white  capped,  often  called 
African  manikins,  are  a  really  beautiful  bird,  their 
white  head  forming  a  rich  contrast  with  the  choco- 
late brown  and  black  bodies.  An  aviary  is  hardly 
complete  without  one  of  each. 

JAPANESE  NUNS  are  a  beautiful  combination  of 
the  purest  white,  intermingled  with  the  much  ad- 
mired cinnamon  color.  These  pets,  being  bred  in 
cages,  are  very  tame,  of  a  quiet  disposition,  and 
sing  so  merrily  that  you  would  think  two  songs  were 
striving  for  united  utterance. 

"  There's  a  concert,  a  concert  of  gladness  and  glee ; 
The  programme  is  rich,  and  the  tickets  are  free." 

Not  less  beautiful  are  the  brown  and  white,  and 
yellow  and  white,  charming  pets  that  they  are,  and 
with  which  you  would  not  part. 

THE  CORDON  BLUE,  native  of  Africa,  or,  as  some 
call  this  well-known  finch,  crimson-ear  waxbill,  is 
one  of  great  beauty.  The  male  has  a  soft,  pleasing 
song,  and  is  usually  to  be  heard  cooing,  as  if  for 
his  own  amusement.  This  little  fellow  has  a  pe- 
culiar habit  of  singing  with  a  bit  of  twine,  or  some- 
thing which  he  can  hold,  in  his  bill.  If  he  can  find 
a  piece  of  cotton,  or  a  stalk  of  any  kind,  he  will 
hop  about  his  cage,  and  sing  to  his  utmost. 


JAPANESE  NUN.         CORDON  BLUE  FINCH. 


"  Thou  hast  no  sorrow  in  thy  song, 
No  winter  in  thy  year." 


THE  CUT-THROAT  SPARROW,  a  native  of  Africa, 
sometimes  called  "  fascinated  finch,"  is  about  half 
the  size  of  the  canary.  He  is  of  a  delicate  grayish- 
fawn  color,  spangled  with  white  spots. 

"  Come,  little  bird,  and  live  with  me, 
You  shall  be  happy,  light,  and  free." 

THE  ST.  HELENA  WAXBILL.  — This  finch  comes  to 
us  from  Africa  in  great  numbers  :  and,  being  com- 
paratively well  known,  our  description  will  be  brief. 
The  beak,  a  bright  red  resembling  sealing-wax,  a 
darker  shade  of  same  passing  through  each  eye ; 
also  a  dash  of  same  on  under  part  of  the  body:  the 
prevailing  color  of  the  plumage  is  a  grayish-brown, 


THE    DIAMOND    SPARROW.  113 

the  wings  and  tail  being  a  shade  darker;  all  the 
feathers  have  transverse  blackish  wavy  lines  all  over 
them,  giving  them  a  very  soft  and  silken  appear- 
ance. 

THE  DIAMOND  SPARROW,  or  "  spotted-sided  finch," 
a  native  of  Australia,  is  a  short,  stout  bird,  some- 
what larger  than  the  St.  Helena  waxbill.  The  un- 
der part  of  the  body  is  white,  and  the  sides  under 
the  wings  quite  black,  with  oblong  white  spots. 
They  have  the  utmost  desire  to  catch  flies ;  and,  if 
allowed  the  liberty  of  a  room,  will  rush  to  the  win- 
dow, and  remain  by  the  hour  catching  them.  They 
can  be  made  remarkably  tame,  and  can  be  trusted 
without  their  cage. 

THE  FIRE  FINCH  bears  a  strong  resemblance  to 
the  avadavat  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year.  He 
is  somewhat  larger,  but  has  little  song,  being  kept 
particularly  for  beauty  and  cheerful  disposition. 

THE  SAFFRON  FINCH  is  in  many  respects  similar 
to  the  canary,  though  not  quite  as  large.  In  point 
of  color,  however,  the  finch  is  more  desirable,  as 
the  shades  are  of  brighter  tints. 

"  The  tropic  sunshine  from  his  golden  wings." 

The  above  comprise  a  variety  of  the  family  of 
finches.  There  are,  however,  very  many  others, 
which  can  be  obtained  at  any  well-kept  bird  store. 

They  should  be  fed  upon  millet-seed,  and  given  a 
bath  daily ;  care  should  be  taken  that  they  are  kept 
in  a  warm  room,  and,  if  possible,  in  the  warm  rays 


"4  FINCHES,  THEIR    CARE. 

of  the  sun.  Cayenne  pepper,  sprinkled  on  the  sand 
in  the  bottom  of  the  cage  twice  a  week,  will  be 
found  beneficial.  They  are  fond  of  the  sun,  and 
delight  to  bask  in  its  warmth.  Their  ailments  are 
very  few,  and  these  few  are  about  the  same  as  those 
of  the  canary  and  other  seed-eating  birds  ;  for  treat- 
ment of  which  see  article  on  canary.  Care  must  be 
taken  not  to  leave  them  exposed  to  cold  draughts 
or  the  dampness  of  the  night  air.  With  the  above 
precautions,  all  these  birds  can  be  kept  in  the  aviary 
for  many  years. 

So  far  as  possible  in  a  volume  of  this  size,  the 
description  of  finches  will  be  found  complete. 
These  birds  are  all  suitable  for  the  aviary ;  but  the 
following  birds  can  be  placed  with  them  by  those 
who  desire  to  make  a  more  extended  collection: 
canary,  goldfinch,  linnet,  bulfinch,  chaffinch,  siskin, 
American  goldfinch,  indigo  bird,  nonpareil,  song 
sparrow,  Java  sparrow,  Australian  paroquets,  love 
birds,  mountain  finch,  rose  bunting,  Virginia  night- 
ingale, rose-breast  grosbeak,  Brazilian  cardinal, 
sparrow,  and  many  others.  Of  course  the  bird 
family,  like  all  others,  is  liable  to  domestic  troubles. 
Sometimes  a  bird  of  certain  species  will  become 
troublesome,  and  destroy  the  quiet  and  happiness 
of  the  entire  family.  When  such  one  is  found,  he 
should  be  taken  out,  and  exchanged  at  a  first-class 
bird-store  for  another  of  his  kind  :  by  this  means 
the  aviary  will  become  a  model  of  quietness  and 
harmony. 


BIRD-SEED.  II5 

BIRD-SEED.  —  Very  few  persons  are  aware  ho\i 
much  a  bird's  health,  and  consequently  its  song, 
depends  upon  the  selection  of  seed.  There  are 
as  many  qualities  or  grades  of  canary-seed  as 
there  are  qualities  or  grades  of  flour.  Is  all  flout 
alike!  If  it  is," then  all  seed  is  alike.  The  qual 
ity  of  canary-seed  is  usually  based  by  dealers  in  seed 
upon  the  price  per  bushel,  —  it  varying  from  $6.75 
to  $8.00  at  present  writing  .  (Jan,  1875).  The  very 
best  seed  is  the 

SICILY  CANARY.  —  It  is  a  very  plump  and  heavy- 
feeling  seed,  and  is  extremely  palatable  to  the  bird. 
A  sample  of  this  seed  —  enough  to  last  one  bira 
two  months  —  will  be  sent  by  mail,  prepaid,  on  re- 
ceipt of  twenty-five  cents. 

THE  GERMAN  SUMMER  RAPE-SEED  is  excellent  for 
birds,  and  should  always  be  given  them.  It  is  their 
only  food  in  Germany,  where  they  are  reared,  and, 
being  of  a  very  cooling  nature,  will  always  keep  the 
bird  in  excellent  condition ;  though,  if  fed  on  this 
exclusively,  he  will  not  sing  as  much  as  if  his 
seed  were  mixed  with  canary,  —  the  canary  giving  the 
bird  life  and  animation.  A  PACKAGE  OF  CLEAR 
RAPE,  or  rape  and  canary  mixed,  will  be  sent  the 
same  as  the  clear  canary,  and  at  same  price.  The 
next  seed  which  is  used,  and  often  by  persons  en- 
tirely ignorant  of  its  nature,  is 

HEMP-SEED.  —  This  is  a  very  rich,  oily,  sweet  seed, 
and  very  much  loved  by  birds  of  every  species. 
When  mixed  with  other  seeds,  the  bird  never  fails 
to  scatter  all  other  around  the  room,  searching 


r6  BIRD-SEED. 


tor  this  dainty  morsel,  and,  so  long  as  he  has  one 
seed,  will  not  taste  either  rape  or  canaiy.  This, 
being  the  richest  of  all  seed,  should  be  fed  very 
sparingly  If  the  bird  is  in  health  and  song,  never 
give  hemp  •  for  it  only  fattens,  and,  if  constantly  fed, 
will  ruin  the  song.  Occasionally  a  bird  seems  deli- 
cate, and  is  a  very  small  eater :  in  such  a  case  give 
a  few  hemp,  —  and  only  a  few,  unless  the  bird  be 
a  long  breed,  in  which  case  give  about  a  thimble- 
ful, not  oftencr  than  twice  a  week.  Goldfinches  and 
siskins  are  fed  upon 

MAW-SEED,  sometimes  called  poppy.  These  two  lit- 
tle climbing  birds  have  very  soft  bills,  —  that  is,  the 
young  birds,  —  and  it  is  with  difficulty  that  they 
crack  rape  and  canary  seed,  unless  it  has  been  previ- 
ously soaked,  until  the  birds  are  at  least  two  years  old. 
All  birds  are  great  lovers  of  maw-seed  ;  and  it  must 
be  fed  sparingly;  for,  being  a  powerful  opiate, 
they  will  feed  upon  it  until  they  drop  from  the 
perch  from  its  intoxicating  effect.  The  few  birds 
that  require  this  seed,  besides  the  preceding,  are  the 
bulfinch,  canary,  and  occasionally  some  other  seed- 
eating  bird  j  for  which  see  Treatment  of  Birds.  The 
next  seed  used  is  called 

PADDY,  —  unhulled  or  rough  rice.  This  seed  is  fed 
to  most  of  the  seed-eating  birds  of  the  rice-fields  of 
the  Southern  States,  and  also  those  that  come  from 
China,  Java,  or  in  fact  from  any  part  of  the  world 
that  rice  is  grown.  All  of  the  family  of  grosbeaks 
are  particularly  fond  of  it,  as  is  also  the  Java  spar- 
row and  rice  bird.  Our  native  bobolink  is  not 


BIRD-SEED. 


117 


averse  to  a  bountiful  supply ;  -but,  with  the  feeding 
of  this  in  any  quantity,  his  vocal  powers  are  ruined 
For  the  family  of  finches, 

MILLET-SEED  is  used  exclusively.  It  is  the  size 
and  color  of  mustard-seed,  very  sweet ;  and  birds 
thrive  remarkably  well  upon  it,  though  many  of  them 
will  also  eat  readily  of  rape  and  canary  seed.  This 
seed,  being  nutritious,  can  be  fed  to  any  seed-eating 
bird,  and  without  detriment  to  them.  The  only 
other  food  required  is 

CRACKED  CORN  and  cracked  wheat.  This  is  fed 
principally  to  macaws,  parrots,  paroquets  (of  the 
larger  species),  cockadillos,  cockatoos,  lories,  &c. 
The  corn,  being  of  a  heating  nature,  should  only  be 
given  in  small  quantities. 

By  the  present  postal  laws,  seed  can  be  sent 
safely  through  the  mail ;  and  all  orders  intrusted 
to  us  will  be  filled  with  the  very  best  quality,  and 
the  largest  possible  amount  forwarded  for  the  money 
sent. 

To  those  living  remote  from  a  bird-store,  and  de- 
siring one  of  "God's  joyous  warblers,"  it  is  with 
pleasure  that  we  here  state  that  they  can  be  safely 
sent  by  express  to  any  part  of  the  United  States  01 
Canadas.  All  any  party  need  do  is  to  give  an  ordei 
I  to  an  express  company,  accompanying  the  same 
with  a  five-dollar  bill,  —  this  is  very  important  to  the 
express  company,  —  and  for  this  sum  he  will  procure 
[you  a  first-class  singing  canary.  I  am  aware  that 
many  people  are  reluctant  to  trust  a  bird  to  the 
\tuppostd  rough  handling  of  an  expressman.  The 


n8 


TRANSPORTING   BIRDS. 


expressman  may  handle  a  trunk  roughly,  and  throw 
packages  around  in  a  careless  manner,  but  not 
the  little  innocent  bird. 

Could  you  but  see,  as  the  author  has  so  many, 
many  times,  on  a  cold,*bleak  winter's  day,  an  ex- 
press-messenger, clad  in  an  ordinary  under  coat, 
drive  to  the  store  door,  and  take  from  his  wagon  a 
package  of  birds  closely  wrapped  in  his  overcoat,  re 
marking  as  he  placed  the  package  within  the  door, 
"  I  could  not  bear,  Mr.  Holden,  to  see  the  little 
things  suffer  such  a  terrible  day  as  this."  Or  had 
you  been  with  the  author  one  stormy  night  last 
winter,  when  coming  eastward  from  New  York 
by  steamer,  upon  which  was  a  large  shipment  of 
birds  in  charge  of  the  Adams  Express  Company,  you 
might  have  seen  the  messenger,  on  arriving  at  Fal.1 
River,  carry  the  package  with  the  utmost  care  into 
the  cars,  and  place  it  near  the  stove  in  that  part  of 
the  car  usually  occupied  by  himself.  The  comfort 
and  safety  of  these  helpless  creatures  was  to  him  of 
the  utmost  importance.  Having  some  curiosity.  I 
asked  him  why  he  was  so  particular  about  the  package, 
he  replied,  without  knowing  to  whom  he  was  speak- 
ing, "  Ah,  sir,  I  love  those  little  birds  !  they  can- 
not take  care  of  themselves,  and  God  knows  my  first 
duty  is  to  them."  A  call  at  the  office  of  the  com 
pany  revealed  the  fact,  that  the  messenger  was  Mr, 
David  Crowley,  one  of  the  three  survivors  of  the 
fated  *  Lexington,"  which  was  burned  in  1842.  The 
large  bird  importing  houses  have  shipped  nearly 
half  a  million  birds;  and  this  immense  number 


TAMING   AND    TRAINING.  IT9 

without  any  loss  worthy  of  mention.  If  our  ex- 
perience is  worth  any  thing,  do  not  hesitate  to 
order;  for  the  express  company  will  always  pur- 
chase at  the  point  nearest  your  residence,  and  get 
them  to  you  with  as  little  exposure  as  possible. 

Almost  all  fanciers  take  a  delight  in  having  then 
birds  so  tame  that  they  will  not  only  take  their  food 
from  the  hand,  but  will  readily  fly  to,  and  remain 
with,  the  person  from  whom  they  daily  receive  atten 
tion.  When  wild  birds  are  first  caught  and  placed 
in  a  cage,  it  is  not  well  to  begin  at  once  upon  their 
educat  ion.  It  requires  some  little  time  for  them  to 
become  accustomed  to  their  new  mode  of  life  :  the 
change  of  food,  together  with  a  diminishing  of  their 
usual  exercise,  so  changes  the  fluids  that  the  bird  is 
not  in  a  healthy  condition,  and  is  therefore  wholly 
unfit  for  mental  training. 

There  are  some  birds  which  seem  thoroughly  in 
capable  of  learning  the  important  fact,  that  their  at 
tendant  is  their  friend.  When  it  is  discovered  that 
such  is  the  nature  of  the  bird  in  hand,  it  is  as  well 
to  give  up  all  hopes  of  attaining  favorable  results. 
Patience  will,  however,  accomplish  much ;  and  it  is 
best  to  give  a  long  and  careful  trial  before  pronoun- 
cing final  judgment.  Young  birds  can  be  taught 
more  easily  than  old  ones.  Yet  with  siskins,  gold- 
finches, Java  sparrows,  and  chaffinches  almost  any 
?.ge  will  answer.  One  of  the  best  ways  to  teach  a 
bird  to  fly  and  return,  or  to  go  out  of  doors  perched 
upon  the  finger  or  shoulder,  is  first  to  tease  it  with  a 
soft  feather  in  its  cage,  leaving  the  door  open.  The 


T20  TAMING   AND   TRAINING. 

bird  at  first  will  appear  frightened,  but,  on  finding 
that  no  harm  is  intended,  will  peck  at  the  feather, 
vhich  should  be  quickly  withdrawn.  The  bird,  soon 
thinking  that  it  has  mastered  the  feather,  thereby 
gains  confidence,  and  will  peck  at  the  finger :  soon 
it  will  come  out  of  its  cage,  and  perch  upon  the 
hand.  A  few  choice  morsels  should  be  laid  down  for 
it ;  and  in  this  way  it  will  soon  learn  to  eat  from  the 
hand  itself.  The  bird  should  then  be  made  ac 
quainted  with  some  call,  which  should  invariably 
be  used  whenever  the  training  is  going  on ;  after  a 
short  time  the  bird  can  be  placed  upon  the  bhoulder, 
and  carried  from  one  room  to  another,  care  being 
taken  to  close  the  windows  and  outside  doors.  In 
ihis  way  it  will  speedily  become  accustomed  to  being 
handled,  and  can  be  allowed  to  fly  about  the  room, 
inviting  it  to  return  by  the  previously-arranged  call 
or  whistle.  As  soon  as  it  attends  to  the  call  with 
out  appearing  nervous  or  frightened,  it  can  be  taken 
into  the  open  air,  and  gradually  accustomed  to  being 
carried  abroad  without  its  offering  to  fly. 

Adult  birds  should  not  be  carried  into  the  open 
air  in  the  spring  or  in  pairing  time  ;  for  at  this  seacx>n 
of  the  year  they  show  indications  of  resuming  Jieir 
native  wildness.  A  siskin,  goldfinch,  or  canary  can 
easily  be  tamed  by  cutting  away  more  or  less  of  the 
inner  web  of  the  pinion-feathers,  care  being  taken 
that  the  bird  shall  have  sufficient  power  to  fly  from 
the  hand  without  injury.  The  nostrils  are  then 
smeared  with  any  essential  oil,  —  bergamot  is  as  good 
AS  any,  —  which  will  render  it  partially  insensible  tor  a 


TAMING   AND   TRAINING.  121 

time.  It  should  then  be  placed  upon  a  finger,  ana 
changed  from  one  to  another.  It  may  fly  a  few 
times,  but  should  be  brought  back,  and  kept  upot 
the  hand  until  the  effects  of  the  oil  have  wholl) 
passed  away,  when  the  bird,  finding  no  harm  is  in 
tended,  will  sit  quietly.  A  few  crushed  hemp -seed* 
should  be  given  for  its  good  behavior,  and  the  above 
repeated  from  day  to  day  until  a  satisfactory  result 
is  obtained.  Hunger  will  speedily  teach  a  bird  to 
take  food  from  the  hand.  Place  it  in  a  small  cage,  — 
one  that  has  a  door  large  enough  for  the  hand  to  pass 
through,  —  then  remove  all  food.  In  a  few  hours  try 
putting  a  seed-dish  into  the  cage  with  your  hand :  if 
the  bird  flutters  wildly  about,  and  refuses  to  accept 
your  offering,  remove  your  dish,  and  wait  a  few  hours 
longer.  You  will  not  be  compelled  to  remain  long 
in  suspense,  for  two  or  three  trials  will  generally 
effect  a  good  result.  After  food  has  been  accepted 
from  the  dish,  try  your  hand ;  and  as  soon  as  you 
have  convinced  your  pupil  that  only  from  you  can 
food  be  procured,  and  to  you,  and  you  only,  must  he 
look  for  all  his  goodies,  a  friendship  will  be  formed 
which  he  will  not  be  first  to  break.  Birds  that  are 
desired  to  be  tame  should  be  talked  to  and  made 
of :  they  should  be  placed  upon  your  writing-table, 
and  every  now  and  again  a  little  notice  taken  of 
them.  It  is  surprising  how  speedily  these  little 
fellows  will  learn  the  difference  between  neglect  and 
attention.  Some  of  the  best  birds  which  have  been 
placed  on  exhibition  have  been  those  owned  by 
tailors  and  shoemakers,  who,  owing  to  the  nature 


122  TAMING   AND    TRAINING. 

of  their  business,  could  keep  their  feathered  pupils 
constantly  with  them. 

Thus  far  I  have  spoken  only  of  taming  these 
"  little  dewdrops."  They  are  capable  of  still  greater 
things,  and  can,  with  little  or  no  coercion,  be  taught 
to  pei form  many  amusing  tricks.  The  goldfinch 
and  siskin  may  be  taught  to  fire  off  small  cannon, 
to  imitate  death,  to  draw  up  their  food  and  water  in  a 
little  bucket.  The  apparatus  consists  of  two  lines 
of  broad,  soft  leather,  in  which  there  are  four  holes, 
through  which  their  feet  and  wings  are  passed,  and 
the  ends  are  held  together  beneath  the  belly  by  a 
ring,  to  which  is  attached  a  delicate  chain  that  sup 
ports  the  buckets  containing  the  food  and  drink. 
A  bird  thus  equipped  will  draw  up  the  chain  by  its 
beak,  retaining  the  draw  links  by  its  feet,  and  thus 
succeeds  in  obtaining  what  he  wishes.  A  cage  can 
be  made  with  a  bay-window,  in  the  floor  of  which 
have  a  hole :  across  this  place  a  narrow  bridge  of 
wood,  to  which  attach  a  small  chain  or  piece  of  cord 
to  hold  the  bucket,  which  should  be  about  the  size 
of  a  thimble.  By  drawing  up  the  bucket  filled  with 
water,  and  letting  the  bird  drink,  then  lowering  it 
and  pulling  it  part  way  up,  he  will  soon  acquire  the 
habit  of  working  at  it.  And,  by  gradually  leaving 
a  longer  and  longer  length  of  chain  between  the 
bridge  and  the  bucket,  the  bird  will  soon  discover 
that  he  must  pull  the  chain  up  into  the  cage,  and 
hold  it  after  it  is  there  ;  and  he  readily  comprehends 
the  necessity  of  holding  the  chain  with  his  foot.  As 
loon  as  this  is  done,  his  education  is  complete. 


TAMING  AND   TRAINING.  123 

Birds  which  are  taught  in  this  way  never  forget,  and 
are  always  unhappy  if  out  of  their  cage.  Care 
should  be  taken  to  see  that  the  working  of  the  ap 
paratus  is  not  hard,  and  that  it  is  always  in  order, 
otherwise  a  serious  result  might  follow.  A  chain 
attached  to  a  little  wagon  may  be  drawn  into  the 
cage  and  held  in  the  same  manner ;  and  the  bird 
may  be  taught  to  ring  a  bell  by  suspending  it  in  a 
corner  of  the  cage,  and  leaving  him  without  seed 
until  he  is  hungry,  pulling  the  string  attached  to  it 
and  ringing  it,  and  putting  some  favorite  food  into 
the  glass.  He  will  soon  discover,  that,  whenever  the 
bell  rings,  he  gets  his  food,  and  will  seize  the  string 
and  ring  it  whenever  he  is  hungry. 

A  few  words  of  advice  to  those  about  purchas- 
ing a  bird.  All  lovers  of  birds  desire  one  with 
beautiful  plumage,  as  well  as  one  gifted  with  exqui- 
site powers  of  song.  There  are  times  when  it  is 
impossible  to  secure  both  advantages  in  one  bird, 
and,  when  this  should  be  the  case,  always  select  the 
bird  for  his  beauty  of  song,  never  for  plumage.  In 
visiting  a  bird-store  to  make  a  purchase,  —  perhaps 
your  first  one,  —  if  the  dealer  has  a  large  stock,  and 
there  is  an  incessant  singing,  it  is  almost  an  im- 
possibility for  any  person  to  select  just  such  a  bird 
as  he  desires.  One  that  the  purchaser  may  think  is 
an  elegant  singer  may,  after  you  have  him  alone, 
prove  to  be  only  a  "  twittering  "  bird,  and  his  song 
composed  of  only  six  or  eight  notes.  Again,  you 
may  select  a  bird  for  a  sick  friend  who  desires 
something  quieting,  —  something  that  will  sing 


124  TAMING   AND    TRAINING. 

"words  of  comfort  for  hcurs  of  sorrow  •  "  you  may 
possibly  select  just  such  a  bird  ;  but  nine,  times  out  oi 
ten  you  are  liable  to  select  a  loud,  shrill  singer,  whose 
notes  seemingly  pierce  the  brain. 

How  are  you  to  obtain  that  which  you  so  much 
desire  ?  You  have  a  friend  whose  bird  just  suits 
you ;  but  that  particular  song  you  cannot  by  any 
possibility  select  in  a  bird-store.  You  have  but  one 
resource  left ;  and  that  is,  your  confidence  in  the 
dealer :  tell  him  plainly  what  you  wish ;  and,  if  he 
has  such  a  bird,  you  may  depend  upon  his  giving  it 
to  you  ;  for  he  knows,  even  better  than  the  purchaser, 
just  what  is  required ;  and  he  will  strive  to  please 
you,  thereby  not  only  gaining  your  esteem,  but  also 
the  patronage  of  your  friends,  whom  you  will  as 
suredly  send  to  "your  bird-store."  One  source  of 
great  annoyance  to  a  dealer  is,  after  having  select- 
ed such  a  bird,  for  the  purchaser  to  turn  to  some 
other  patron  (always  a  perfect  stranger)  and  ask  his 
or  her  opinion  of  the  bird,  and  then  take  the  advice 
of  a  person  whom  they  never  saw  before,  and  proba- 
bly will  never  see  again,  and  select  a  bird  which 
the  dealer  knows  is  not  what  is  desired,  and  in  a 
few  days  —  a  week  at  furthest  —  return  to  exchange 
it ;  when,  by  taking  the  dealer's  first  selection,  and 
holding  no  conversation  with  a  stranger  whose 
knowledge  of  a  bird  may  have  been  as  profound  as 
the  bird's  knowledge  of  him  or  her,  thereby  causing 
a  "  little  unpleasantness  "  between  dealer  and  patron, 
which  was  as  needless  as  it  was  unnecessary. 

Many  persons  have  an  idea  that  a  bird  with  cleaj 


TAMING   AND    TRAINING.  12$ 

yellow  feathers  is  the  best  singer,  while  others  main 
tain  that  those  with  dark-green  feathers  are  the  best, 
and  yet  others  think  that  a  mottled  bird  is  the 
best  singer ;  and  many  times  it  is  hard  to  convince 
people  otherwise.  Upon  inquiry,  we  find  these  ideas 
usually  based  upon  the  fact,  that  a  friend  of  theirs 
once  had  a  bird  such  and  such  a  color,  and  it  was 
a  very  fine  singer,  and  they  have  been  repeatedly 
told,  that  that  colored  bird  was  the  best  singer.  To 
those  who  labor  under  this  delusion  we  will  simply 
state,  that  there  are  birds  of  every  color  that  are  in- 
ferior singers,  and  also  those  of  every  color  that  are 
very  superior  singers.  The  fact  is,  a  bird's  feath- 
ers have  no  more  to  do  with  his  song  than  a  lady's 
dress  has  to  do  with  her  voice.  If  a  lady  cannot 
sing  with  a  plain  dress,  I  doubt  very  much  whether 
a  moire  trimmed  with  real  lace  would  give  her  that 
much-wished-for  accomplishment.  In  selecting  a 
cage  for  a  bird,  always  look  first  to  his  comfort, 
never  forgetting  that  he  is  our  little  caged  prisoner, 
and  our  first  duty  is  to  make  his  prison-life  happy. 
The  canary  and  many  other  birds  will  live  happily 
in  a  cage  of  any  size  or  shape;  while  there  are 
many  birds  that  must  be  confined  in  a  flat-top  cage  \ 
others  again  that  must  be  kept  in  a  cage  the  top  of 
which  must  be  of  wood.  The  bird-dealer  is  always 
the  best  judge  of  the  kind  of  cage  best  adapted  to 
a  bird's  requirements  ;  and,  if  you  follow  his  advice, 
you  cannot  go  amiss.  The  improvements  made  in 
cages  for  the  comfort  of  its  occupant  during  the 
past  three  years  have  been  very  many ;  and,  in  mak- 


t2  BIRD-CAGES. 

ing  these  improvements,  style  also  has  been  consult 
ed.  We  have  the  beautiful  moresque,  the  Chinese 
pagoda,  the  Swiss  cottage,  the  mansard,  gothic,  and 
in  fact  styles  after  every  order  of  architecture,  and 
many  of  them  are  very  beautiful,  and  certainly 
pleasing  to  the  eye.  A  bird's  comfort,  however, 
should  be  consulted  a  little,  never  forgetting  that 
he  is  your  caged  prisoner;  and  your  first  thought 
always  must  be  to  make  his  prison  life  happy. 
Very  few  who  own  a 

" Little .dewdrop  of  celestial  melody" 

give  a  moment's  thought  to  the  fact  that  many  of  the 
song-birds  require  vastly  different  cages.  A  canary 
will  pour  forth  his  chant  in  any  cage  in  which 
you  place  him.  True,  he  loves  a  large  cage,  and 
will  fly  from  one  end  to  the  other  for  joy.  He  will 
even  take  a  bath  several  times  a  day  if  the  oppor 
cunity  is  given  him,  and  plume  his  feathers  times 
without  number.  All  this  he  will  do,  as  well  as  eat, 
and  sing  occasionally.  Should  you  keep  such  a 
bird  for  a  pet,  such  a  cage  would  answer  every  pur- 
pose: if  you  keep  the  bird  for  his  song,  then  he 
must  be  kept  in  a  small  cage. 

Owners  of  feathered  songsters  must  have  ob- 
served that  many  of  them  constantly  flutter  theii 
wings,  and  look  up  as  if  about  to  fly  upwards ;  others 
again  look  up,  and  turn  their  heads  backwards,  until 
you  think  they  will  fall  backward,  which  they 
sometimes  do.  Did  it  ever  occur  to  the  owner  of 
such  a  bird  that  he  was  not  in  a  suitable  cage  ?  foi 


TRAPPING    BIRDS.  127 

such  is  the  fact.  To  those  who  have  not  studied  this 
branch  of  natural  history,  and  buy  for  the  first  time  a 
bird  and  cage,  always  take  the  bird-dealer's  advice  as 
regards  the  cage.  Your  bird  will  then  sing  readily, 
remain  quiet,  and  not  fly  as  if  afraid  of  his  life,  and 
ruin  his  plumage  the  first  day  that  you  possess  him. 

TRAPPIN  ;  BIRDS.  —  Bird-dealers  are  constantly  re, 
ceiving  orders  and  calls  for  "  bird-lime."  This  article 
is  made  from  the  inside  bark  of  the  holly,  —  a  tree 
almost  unknown  in  this  country,  though  very  plentiful 
in  England.  A  substitute  for  this  can  be  made  by 
boiling  linseed-oil  away  to  about  one-third  the  quan- 
tity you  start  with.  It  is  a  very  dangerous  operation, 
and  should  never  be  done  in  a  house,  its  explosive 
qualities  being  fully  equal  to  gunpowder.  It  will  make 
a  very  strong  bird-lime,  and  hold  any  small  bird  that 
lights  upon  a  twig  that  has  been  smeared  with  it. 
Unless,  however,  the  trapper  is  near  at  hand  to  remove 
the  bird  at  once,  he  becomes  besmeared  all  over  his 
body  and  wings  ;  and  it  is  almost  impossible  to  remove 
it  until  the  bird  moults,  thereby,  for  the  time  being, 
ruining  the  sale  of  it.  A  far  better  way  is  with  a  TRAP- 
CAGE,  and  a  bird  for  a  caller ;  and,  if  you  can  obtain 
a  blind  bird,  he  will  sit  quietly,  and  call  all  day  long, 
and  many,  very  many  more  birds  can  be  taken  than 
if  the  bird  had  his  sight. 

WRAPPING  BIRDS.  —  There  are  very  many  people 
who  think  that  a  bird  will  "  smother "  if  covered  up 
closely.  Such,  however,  is  not  the  case.  A  dealer 
knows  better  than  any  one  else  possibly  can.  And, 
if  the  purchaser  would  only  remain  quiet  until  the 


128  WRAPPING    BIRDS. 

package  was  ready  to  deliver,  he  or  she  would  always 
discover  that  the  last  thing  done  was  to  make  a  few 
small  holes  in  the  top  to  let  out  the  hot  air,  .but  by 
no  means  let  in  cold  ;  if  so,  a  bird  would  assuredly 
catch  cold.  And  lastly,  I  will  say  to  all  who  now  own 
birds,  or  ever  expect  to,  that  all  they  require  is  suit- 
able seed,  as  you  have  been  informed  in  the  body  of 
this  work,  clean  water  for  drinking  and  bathing  daily, 
gravel-paper  or  sand  on  the  bottom  of  the  cage,  a 
little  green  stuff  or  sweet  apple  once  in  three  or  four 
weeks,  —  not  oftener,  —  and  nothing  else. 

TOBACCO  SMOKE  is  not,  as  many  suppose,  injurious 
*o  birds.  A  little  occasionally  is  beneficial. 

TO    CLEAN   A    BRASS,    SILVER,    OR   GOLD    PLATED    CAGE, 

always  wash  with  a  sponge  or  piece  of  old  towel,  using 
clear  cold  water,  and  wipe  dry.  The  surface  of  these 
cages  being  varnished,  if  hot  water  is  used,  they  will 
have  the  appearance  of  being  spattered  with  milk, 
which  can  never  be  removed.  If  they  are  scoured 
the  same  as  brass-ware  ordinarily  is,  the  varnish  will 
be  removed,  and  the  cage  commence  to  corrode,  and 
require  polishing  daily. 

SILVER  PLATED  AND  BRASS  CAGES  can  be  refinished 
in  two  days,  and  made  in  appearance  equal  to  new. 
Cages  are  refinished  in  silver  for  $2.00;  in  brass, 
$1.00. 


SEEDS,  FOODS,   AND   MEDICINES. 


THE  health  and  song  of  birds  depend  on  the  quality  of  seeds  and  foods: 

I  sell  only  the  best. 

PER  QT. 

Seed,  canary,  Sicily,  best  quality,  clean $0.20 

"     rape,  German  summer,  best  quality,  clean 20 

"     millet,  domestic,  "          "  " .20 

"        "        French,  "          "  " .40 

"     maw,  "          "  " .      .25 

"     padda,  or  unhulled  rice,  "          "  "        20 

"     hemp,  Russian,  "        :    .     .      .20 

'     canary,  rape,  equal  parts,  mixed  for  Canaries 20 

"      cracked  corn 20 

"     hemp,  cracked  corn,  padda,  and  sunflower,  mixed  for  Parrots.     .       .20 

Ants'  eggs i.oo 

Maw-meal      .     .     . 25 

Packages  of  seeds,  ants'  eggs,  or  maw-meal,  will  be  sent  by  mail,  on  receipt 
of  25  cents  or  50  cents;  largest  packages,  $1.00.  Fresh  seeds  of  the  best 
quality  can  thus  always  be  promptly  had. 

Cuttle-bone,  large each,  $0.05;  by  mail,  $0.08 

Meal-worms per  dozen  .06;  per  hundred,  .40;  by  mail,      .50 

Food,  prepared,  either  moist,  ready  for  use,  or  dry,  requiring  grated 

/aw  cat  rot per  qt.,      .33 

Food,  moist  in  bottles,  or  dry  in  boxes 40 

"      moist  or  dry,  packages  by  mail 25,  .50,  or  i.oo 

Red  food,  for  coloring  Canaries  red  ....  per  box,  $1.00;  by  mail,     1.12 

Gravel pint  box,  .05;  quart  box,     .10 

Holden's  Tonic,  a  liquid  not  mailable,  to  tone  up  weak  birds       .     .     .      .25 
Holden's  Song  Restorer,  a  nourishing  food*     ......     by  mail,       .25 

Bird  Treat,  or  Appetizer per  package,  by  mail,      .15 

Lime,  to  use  in  catching  birds ,     per  box,  .25 ;  by  mail,      .35 

Holden's  Bird-Cures,  carefully  prepared  after  a  long  experience  in  the  care 
of  all  kinds  of  birds,  are  recommended  for  birds  which  are  out  of  song, 
either  because  they  are  sick,  or  are  infested  with  vermin.  We  put  these 
powders  up  in  suitable  form  for  mailing,  and  send  them  to  any  address,  with 
full  directions  for  use  with  each  package,  postage  prepaid,  for  .25  per  pack- 
age; or  five  packages  of  Cures  or  Insect  Powder,  $1.00.  The  whole  seven 
are  sent  on  receipt  of  $1.40. 

Holden's  Bird-Cure  No.  i  .     .     .    .    For  Diarrhoea. 

"         No.  2  ....      "  Constipation. 

"  '  "         No.  3  ....      "   Debility. 

No.  4  ....      "   Cold  or  Moulting. 

No.  5  ....      "   Asthma,  or  Loss  of  Voice. 

No.  6  .     ..."   Sore  Feet. 

"  "         No.  7.  German  Powder,  for  Insects. 

(129) 


G.  H.  HOLDEN,  BIRD  IMPORTER. 

240  Sixth  Avenue  (near  isth  St.),  NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 
9  Bowdoin  Square          .          .          BOSTON,  MASS. 

HOLDERS  LIST  OF  BIRDS,  CAGES,  ETC. 

My  birds  can  be  bought  from  me  only  in  the  above  stores. 
No  pedlers  or    agents   are   employed;  any  one    representing  himself  as 
such  is  a  swindler.  Please  send  orders  direct  to  me. 
Birds  and  cages  are  sent  everywhere  safely  by  express. 
Money  can  be  sent  by  bank-draft,  by  money  orders  which  can  be  had  of  the 
Express  companies,  by  Post-Office  order,  or  in  a  registered  letter.     Postage- 
stamps  are  accepted  for  any  article  sold  for  $1.00  or  less. 
GUARANTIES.  —  Birds,  cages,  seeds,  etc.,  are  guaranteed  best  quality. 
Special  orders  are  taken  for  all  kinds  of  rare  birds. 

German  male  Canaries,  guaranteed  to  sing  to  suit,     each  $2.00,  $2.50  to  $3.00 

St.  Andreasberg  Canaries,  trained  singers,  each  $5.00  to  $6.00 

Holden  Canaries,  fine  grade  singers,  each  $8.00,  $12.00,  $15.00 

Holden  Canaries,  best,  imported  to  order,  eacl  $25.00,  $40.00,  $50.00 

Canary-bird,  English,  red,  singer,  each  $8.00,  $10.00  to  $12.00 

Females,  red  each  $4  oo  to  $5.00 

Canary-birds,  Gold  or  Silver  Spangled  Lizard,  singers,  each  $10.00  to  $15.00 

Females,  same  kind,  each  $5.00  to  $8.00 

Canary-birds  from  Norwich,  Eng.,  large,  deep  golden,  high  green,  and 

fancy  colors,  each  $4.00,  6.00,  and  $8.00 

Females  from  Norwich,  each  $2.00,  $3.00  to  $5.00 

Canary-birds,  Manchester  Coppy,  the  largest  breed  of  canary  singers, 

with  big  crests,  each  $8.00,  $10.00,  $12.00  to  $15.00 

Females,  same  kind,  each  $8.00  to  $10.00 

Canary-birds,  Scotch  Fancy,  singers,  each  $10.00  to  $15.00 

Females,  same  kind,  each  $8.00  to  $10.00 

Cinnamon  Canary,  in  perfect  color  and  song         each  $5.00,  $6.00,  and  $8.00 

Females,  same  kind,  each  $2.00,  $3.00  to  $4.00 

Canary-birds,  olive-green  or  golden-brown,  singers,  each  $5.00 

AH  female  Canaries  of  the  ordinary  colors,  each  $1.00 

High-colored  females,  deep  gold  or  olive-green,  each  $3.00  to  $5.00 

Canary  that  pipes  a  tune,  each  $50.00  to  $iso.o< 

The  above  prices  for  males-  and  females  apply  to  the  German  birds  and 

the  English  birds,  all  imported,  which  are  the  finest  songsters. 

Long-Breed  Canaries,  sometimes  called  Belgium  or   Antwerp  birds, 

males  or  females  each  $5.00,  $8.00  to  $io.o« 

The  above  prices  refer  to  imported  stock. 

Half  Long-Breed  Canaries,  domestic,  male  or  female,        each  $4.00  to  $8.0 
Special  orders  are  taken  for  finest  Holden  canary  singers,  extra  large  Mar 
r.hesters  or  other  prize  canaries,  and  extra  piping  bulfinches. 


G.   H.    HOLDENS    PRICE-LIST.  131 

Bullfinch,  unlearned,  each  $3.00  to  $5.00 

"          that  pipes  one  tune,  each  $15.00  to  $25.00 

"        "     two  tunes,  each  $40.00,  $50.00,  $60.00 

"         phrasing,  echo  songs,  etc.  each  $75.00,  $100.00,  $150.00 

Black-Cap  Warbler,  each  $5.00  to  $6.00 

Blackbird,  each  $8.00 

"         that  pipes  one  tune,  each  $25.00  to  $40.00 

Brazilian  Cardinal,  each  $5.00 

"        a  very  choice  songster,  $8.00 

Goldfinch,  each  $2.00 

"        a  very  choice  songster,  $3-5°  to  $5.00 

Goldfinch  Mule,  each  $5.00  to  $8.00 

"      a  very  choice  songster,  $10.00 

"  "  "        "  "      and  high  colored  or  clear  white, 

each  $10.00  to  $20.00 

Chaffinch,  each  $2.00  to  $3.00 

Japanese  Robin  or  Pekin  Nightingale,  each  $6.00  to  $7.00 

Java  Sparrows,  each  $1.50  to  $2.00 

"  "        white,  each  $5.00 

Sky-Larks,  each  $4.00  to  $5.00 

"  choice  songsters,  each  $6.00  to  $10.00 

Wood-Lark,  each  $5.00  to  $8.00 

"          choice  songsters,  each  $15.00 

Linnet,  Gray  or  Brown,  each,  $2.00 

"  "  "       choice  songsters,  each  $3.50  to  $5.00 

"      Green,  each  $3.00 

"          "      choice  songsters,  each  $5.00 

Nightingale,  English  or  German,  each  $10.00  to  $20.00 

"          choice  songsters,  each  $25.00 

Siskin,  each  $1.50  to  $2.00 

Starling,  each  $5.00  to  $8.00 

"        that  pipes  one  tune,  each  $20.00  to  $40.00 

Talking  Minor,  or  Musical  Grakle,  young,  each  $20.00  to  $25.00 

"          "       well  trained,  each  $50.00,  $100.00,  $150.00 

Troopial,  each  $8.00  to  $10.00 

Thrush,  each  $8.00 

"    choice  songsters,  each  $10.00  to  $15.00 

All  the  above  are  imported  birds;    and  the  highest  prices  quoted  should 

purchase  the  choicest  bird  of  its  kind  in  any  part  of  America. 

The  following  birds  are  suitable  for  the  aviary:  Avadavat  or  Amandava, 
Bishop  Finch,  Banded  Finch,  Cordon  B.luefinch,  Cut-throat  Finch,  Celestial 
Finch,  Cuba  Finch,  Diamond  Sparrow,  Fire-finch,  Fascinated  Finch,  Indian 
Sparrow,  Indian  Silver-bill,  Clear  White  Japanese  Nuns,  Brown  and  White  or 
Cinnamon  and  White  Japanese  Nuns,  the  Little  Doctor,  Magpie  Finch, 
Napoleon  Finch,  Negro,  Nun  (both  black  and  white  capped)  Quaker  Finch, 
Rockhampton  Finch,  Strawberry  Finch,  Spotted-sided  Finch,  Saffron 
Finch,  St.  Helena  Waxbill.  Spice  Birds. 

The  preceding  birds  range  in  price  from  $2.00  to  $5.00  each,  and  are  im- 
ported from  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa. 


G.    H.    HOLDEN  S   PRICE-LIST. 


Paroquets,  Australian, 

"          Red  Face  Love  Bird, 

"  other  kinds, 

Parrots,  African,  Gray  (young  birds), 
"  "  "      talkers, 


pair,  $6.00  to  $8.00 

pair,  $7.00  to  $8.00 

each  $2.00  to  $5.00 

each  $12.00  to  $20.00 

each  $25.00  to  $75.00 


1      extra  fine  talkers,  each  $100.00,  $200.00,  and  $300.00 

Double-yellow  Head,  young,  each  $15.00  to  $20.00 

"          "  "      talkers,   each  $40.00,  $50.00,  $100.00,  $200.00 

Half-yellow  Head  are  about  25  per  cent  less. 

Blue  Front,  each  $12.00,  $15.00,  $20.00,  $35.00 


Maracaibo, 
"        Cuban, 

Dwarf,  tame  and  learn  to  talk, 
Bobolink  (wild), 

"        in  song, 

Cardinal  Bird  or  Virginia  Nightingale, 
Scarlet  Tanager, 
Grosbeak,  rose-breasted  (wild), 

"         in  song, 
Indigo  Bird  (wild), 
:'    in  song, 
Linnets,  red  (wild), 

"        in  song, 
Mocking-Birds  (nestling), 

"      one-year-old,  in  song. 

two-year-old  choice  songsters, 
Nonpareils, 
Robins  (American), 
"        Golden, 

Redbreast,  European, 
Red  Bird  or  Virginia  Nightingale, 
Yellow  Birds  (American  Goldfinch), 


each  $7.00,  $8.00,  and  $10.00 

«ach  $4.00,  $5.00,  ai.d  $6.00 

each  $3.00  to  $10.00 

each  $1.00  to  $1.50 

each  $2.00  to  $3.00 

each  $3.00  to  $5.00 

each  $3.00  to  $5.00 

each  $3.50  to  $5.00 

each  $5.00  to  $8.00 

each  $1.50 

each  $3.00  to  $5.00 

each  $1.00 

each  $2.00  to  $3.00 

each  $3.50  to  $5.00 

each  $10.00  to  $15.00 

each  $20.00  to  $50.00 

each  $3.00  to  $5.00 

each  $3.00  to  $5.00 

each  $3.00  to  $5.00 

each  $3.50  to  $5.00 

each  $3.50  to  $5.00 

each  75  cts.  to  $2  oo 


Enamelled  Cages,  with  patent  doors  and  fastenings,  each  50  cts.  to  $3  oo 

Mocking-Bird  Food  (box  or  bottle),  40  cts.  ;  by  mail,  50  cts. 

Ants'  Eggs,  half  pint,  by  mail,  25  cts. 

Gravel-paper,  12  sheets,  25  cts.;  by  mail,  37  cts. 

Lovers  of  birds,  living  remote  from  our  large  cities,  and  desirous  of  ob- 
taining any  article  pertaining  to  birds  and  cages,  can  procure  the  best  quality 
horn  me  at  the  lowest  rates. 


G.    H.    HOLDERS    PRICE-'LIST. 


All  cag*  measurements  are  from  wire  to  wire. 

The  following  list  of  prices  refers  to  chart  at  end  of  book  :  — 


Price  each. 


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85 

X 

llh 

x 

16 

it        a         <« 

. 

3-75 

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116. 

« 

«          " 

9 

X 

103 

x 

14 

«        «         « 

. 

3-50 

« 

iff 

{4 

tt                   ff 

0? 

x 

12 

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4.00 

^ 

117. 
118. 

,4 

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x 

12 

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16 

« 

4.25 

« 

119. 

« 

«<•          <« 

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9 

X 

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X 

16 

"      with  drawer 

. 

4-25 

« 

120. 

«< 

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9 

X 

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X 

16 

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121. 

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. 

4.50 

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122. 

« 

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X 

13 

X 

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"      for  breeding 

5.00 

" 

123. 

" 

«          «« 

7 

X 

isi 

X 

22 

"     wheel  for  canary 

6.00 

** 

I24. 

" 

"          " 

"3 

X 

14! 

X 

J7 

"  for  Bullfinch    . 

. 

5.00 

« 

125. 

« 

"          " 

ii 

X 

133 

X 

x6i 

"  for  Paroquets  . 

. 

6.00 

« 

126. 

(  A     '                       '      14^  x  20 

X 

21 

"  for  Mocking-Bird 

9.00 

IB    " 

it          it 

14* 

X 

23i 

x 

23 

"  for  Mocking-Bird 

10.00 

fA      " 

it          a 

13* 

X 

x6J 

x 

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"  for  Cardinal 

8.50 

(4 

127. 

IB   « 

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20 

X 

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"  for  Mocking-Bird 

12.00 

**/• 

1C     « 

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X 

23! 

X 

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"  for  Mocking-Bird 

13.00 

ID    - 

it          u 

14* 

X 

3- 

X 

24 

"  for  Mocking-Bird 

16.00 

H 

128. 

Brass  Banded  Cage,  strong,  for  Parrot. 

Tinned  wires,  heavy 

zinc  base  ; 

the  best  low-price  cage  made;  diameter  12  inches, 

$2.  so;  I?  in..  $3.00; 

14 

in..  $4.00: 

i^i  in. 

5.o« 

*34  G.  H.  HOLDEN'S  PRICE-LIST. 

No.  129.  Brass  base,  body,  iron,  14  x  17  x  24  in.  high,  for  Parrot  .  .  $7.00 

"  130.  "  Cage,  15  inches  diameter,  for  Parrot 8.50 

"  131.  "  "  body,  15  x  18  x  25^  in.  high,  for  Parrot  .  .  .  9.50 

„  |  A  Brass  Cage,  body,  15  x  18  x  21  high,  for  Parrot  .  .  .  10.00 

t  B  "  "  "  15  x  22  x  22^  "  "  "  ...  n.oo 

"  133.  "  "  "  15  x  22  x  264  "  "  Cockatoo  .  .  15.00 

"  134.  Parrot  Stand,  3  feet  6  in.  high,  iron  foot,  $6.00;  brass  foot  .  7.00 

"  135.  "-  "  3  feet  10  inches  high,  $9.50;  with  swing  .  .  n.oo 

"  136.  Cover,  fits  stands  134,  135,  all  brass,  with  door 6.00 

Dwarf  Parrot  Stand,  brass,  $5.00;  cover,  $2.00;  complete  .  7.00 

"  137.  Brass  Cage,  body,  65  x  94  x  125  high,  for  4  small  birds  .  .  2.25 

"  138.  "  "  "  9  x  ii  x  13  "  "  6  "  "  .  .  4.00 

"  139.  "  "  "  10  x  13  x  175  "  "  10  "  "  .  .  8.00 

("A  Brass  Cage,  body,  13  x  16  x  19    high,  for  16  small  birds  10.00 

B        "  "  "          12  X  22  X  215      "  "     2O        "  "        15.00 

<~     "         "        "     14^x23^x27    "       "   25     "         "     18.00 


fe: 


20  x  29  x  32  40  35-oo 

Revolving  wheel  inside  B,  C,  or  D,  extra,  $3.50;  dome,  extra,  $4.00 
No.  141.     Squirrel  Cage,  tinned  wire  and  brass,  1 2^x  14  ....     .$8.00 
«     j  2       \  A  Brass  Cage,  body,  15  x  18  x  21  high,  for  Squirrel      .     .  10.00 
'  B     "          "        "      15  x  22  x  21     "      2  wheels  ....  12.00 
"     143.     Tinned  wire,  wood  frame,  sizes  8  x  10  to  13  x  24      .     $1.40  to  3.00 
/  A  Same  material,  for  breeding,  body  9x16  in.,  $1.50;  10x18  in.  2.00 
"     144.      <B    "          "  "        "  "  ii  x  20"  two  doors,  best  size  2. 50 

•    '  C    "          "  "        "  "  12  x  23 "  "       "  two  nests,  3.00 

I  A    "          "  "  Mocking-Bird,  body  ii  x  21  in.       .     .     3.00 

B     "          "  "  "  "      12  x  22  in.      .     .     3.50 

C    "          "  "  "  extra  quality  .  $4.00  and  5.00 

These  Mocking-Bird  Cages  for  Cardinals,  Mocking-Birds,  and  Thrushes, 
<iave  large  cups  on  revolving  holders.     Cups  are  filled  from  the  outside. 
No.  146.     Trap,  7x7,  $0.80;  8x8,  $1.35;  9x9,  $1.60;  9  x  9,  2  traps,  $2.00 
"     147.     Lark  Cage,  revolving  half  circle  for  sod,  wood  frame  .     .     .    3.00 
"     148.     Mouse  Cage,  5  sizes;  $0.75,  $1.00,  $1.50,  $2.00      ....     3.00 

"     149.     Spring  perch  for  Canary,  a  bird's  delight,  by  mail 25 

"     150.     Brass  spring  for  hanging-cage,  by  mail 15 

"     151.     Brass  chain,  5  yard,  10  cents;   i  yard,  by  mail 20 

'     152.     Brass  hook,  for  hanging  cage,  by  mail 05 

"     153.     Brass  Seed  Fenders,  to  fit  any  canary  cage,  each  50  cents; 
wider  and  heavier,  to  fit   Cardinal,  Mocking,  or   Parrot 

cages,  $1.00  and  $1.50;  to  fit  Parrot  Stand 2.oc 

„  f  A  Brass  Stand,  to  hang  all  canary  cages 7.00 

I54'      I  B  Brass  Stand,  with  pedestal,  for  parrot  or  large  cages    .     9.00 
I  send  i  quart  any  seed,  i  bath  tub,  12  sheets  gravel  paper,  i  hook  to  pro- 
ject cage,  i  yard  brass  chain,  and  i  brass  spring,  6  articles,  for  $1.00. 

Brass  cages  are  guaranteed  best  quality ;  any  canary  cage  silver-piatec 
for  $2.00;  other  cages,  according  to  size,  plated  for  $3.00  to  $5.00. 


THE  POCKET  MONKEY.  —  This  delightful  little  fel- 
low, the  smallest  of  the  monkey  family,  is  the  most 
enjoyable  of  all  pet  animals.  We  call  him  the  pocket 
monkey  because  he  is  so  small  his  owner  carries  him 
in  her  pocket  everywhere,  —  to  matinees,  or  across 
the  ocean.  He  is  very  affectionate,  with  the  sweetest 
little  manners,  cunning  ways,  bright,  roguish  face,  and 
dancing  eyes,  which  make  every  one  love  him.  His 
body  is  from  four  to  six  inches  long,  with  soft  fur, 
shining  gray,  brown  and  russet  rings.  His  food  is 
bread  and  milk,  and  fruit.  He  is  easily  cared  for, 
and  lives  several  years  He  is  generally  in  stock  from 
October  to  July.  Prices  range  from  $8.00  to  $12.00, 
$15.00,  and  $20,00. 

ANGORA  CATS.  —  A  well-bred  Angora  Cat  is  a 
beautiful  ornament  and  a  most  affectionate  and  en- 
joyable animal.  The  cat  farms  now  under  my  control 
produce  animals  of  the  first  quality,  gentle,  large,  and 
with  perfect  coats  of  long  fluffy  hair.  I  usually  have 
in  stock,  or  can  have  sent  up  from  the  farms,  all  the 
regular  colors,  and  also  the  odd  fancy  markings.  The 
colors  include  clear  tiger,  clear  black,  clear  white, 
clear  red,  and  clear  maltese  or  blue.  There  are  also 
the  usual  mixed  colors,  and  the  showy  tortoise  shell 
coats. 

Kittens  are  kept  on  the  farms  until  at  least  six 
months  old,  so  they  get  plenty  of  exercise  and  are 
strong,  and  have  full  coats.  My  stock  ranges  in  age 
from  six  to  fourteen  months,  and  includes  single 
males  and  females,  pairs  for  breeding,  and  castrated 
males.  Prices  from  $8.00  to  $25.00.  Address, 

GEORGE  H.  HOLDEN, 
240  SIXTH  AVENUE,  NEW  YORK. 


035) 


Monkey,  Macaw  and  Cockatoo  Gages 


Price,  from  $20  to  $50  each. 

We  make  this  cage  in  sizes  to  suit  for  one  or  more 
monkeys,  parrots,  macaws  or  cockatoos. 

Large  size,  $50.  Body,  24x36  inches;  height,  3  feet 
6  inches. 

Small  size,  $20.  For  one  monkey,  macaw  or  cockatoo, 
Body,  15x22  inches;  height,  36  inches;  material,  brass 
body,  oak  base.  The  bases  are  bound  with  brass  at  the 
corners;  the  drawers  are  reinforced,  and  supported  by 
iron  rods. 

Strongest  cages  made.     Elegant  and  indestructitye. 

(136) 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 
LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


'OLD 

JAN  15' 




IQFeb'SSWY 


REC'D  LI 

MAR  24 


LD  21A-50m-8,'57 
(C8481slO)476B 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


YA  0?358 


